Blood of the Phoenix
by midnightjen
Summary: A unique visitor during the summer rewrites Harry's world and sets him on the path to Voldemort's ultimate destruction. Takes place during Order of the Phoenix.
1. Prologue

disclaimer: i don't own harry potter, obviously, if i did there would have been way more harry/ginny

a/n: this is my first harry potter story, it takes place during the fifth book and features HP/OC and HP/GW friendship (its a very close friendship if that helps). as a huge harry/ginny fan this is something a little different for me but i hope it works. please let me know what you think, reviews are much appreciated.

Harry Potter was having a bad day. No, make that a bad week, month and year so far. His high spirits at spending time on the school train with his friends had evaporated immediately upon entering his uncle's car and the melancholy of having witnessed the death of Cedric Diggory and the return of Lord Voldemort to power had returned. On the journey home from King's Cross Harry had been forced to listen to Aunt Petunia alternate between praising Dudley for his new found athletic talent and a self satisfied diatribe against the Smelting's school nurse. When that wasn't the talk of the car his Uncle Vernon was sadistically reeling off a large list of chores he would be expected to complete over the summer and the rules he would be forced to live by, including, but not restricted to, a ban on anything Harry found enjoyable.

Harry nodded and agreed with the restrictions his uncle was putting in place. His foul mood had returned and he couldn't see himself enjoying anything this summer. Cedric was dead, Voldemort was back and Harry was being forced to spend the summer with the three people outside of Voldemort that would prefer to see him dead. Yes, this summer was definitely going to cap off a bad year and begin another that promised to be just as bad. Uncle Vernon parked the car in the drive of Number 4 Privet Drive and immediately went inside leaving Harry to struggle with his trunk and Hedwig's empty cage. For her own safety, Harry had sent Hedwig ahead so she wouldn't fall under the scrutiny of the Dursley's.

Harry made sure to thump his trunk heavily on each stair as he dragged it up to his room. He blatantly ignored the way his uncle's purple face appeared around the living room door and shouted at him to be careful. All Harry wanted to do was lock himself in his room and fall into bed. Though he didn't want to he knew he would simply lie there thinking about the events of the previous year. He shoved his door open with a thump and came to a startled halt just inside. Sitting on his desk gently stroking his owl was a young woman. She had shoulder length blonde hair that was pulled to the side and tied with a black ribbon over her right shoulder. Her eyes were a deep midnight blue and her fingernails were painted black. She was wearing a long black leather cord around her neck with a charm dangling from it down into her cleavage, clearly visible peaking over the top of the white tank top that did nothing to hide the fact that she was wearing a deep red lacy bra. Her short denim skirt left nothing to the imagination as both of her heavily black booted feet were propped up on the arms of Harry's desk chair affording him a clear view of her matching knickers and really long tanned legs.

Harry's breath caught in his throat and his cheeks flooded with heat. He tried to speak but no words came out. The beautiful blonde turned to him and smiled at him in such a way that Harry felt he would never stop blushing.

'Hello Harry.'


	2. Chapter 1

a/n: well heres the next chapter, this one is longer and really starts off the story. i hope it gives a better idea of the story than the little teaser earlier. enjoy.

**Chapter 1: Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix**

He was sitting in a chair in the kitchen drinking a Butterbeer and staring absently at the knickers dangling from his finger when he heard the distinctive crack of several people Apparating. Had he not in that moment remembered that Ginny, and only Ginny, had thought to let him know he was being rescued he might have found himself in a position even harder to explain than the one he was in. His current one being sitting half naked in the kitchen with nothing on but a pair of very nice fitting jeans (or so he'd been told) and his wand strapped to his forearm in a holster. He tried not the think about the knickers dangling from his finger.

'You're earlier than I expected,' he said simply, getting to his feet and casually pocketing the knickers. Then he smiled brightly. 'Hey, Gin.'

Unsure of what she had just popped in on Ginny decided to hell with playing things safe and deduced you hadn't lived until you'd made at least one cheeky comment a day. 'Nice knickers, Harry.'

Harry scratched the back of his head, ruffling his hair and allowing Ginny and the other members of his rescue party to get a nice long look at him. This Harry was an entirely new one, whatever he had been doing over the last month and a bit (the knickers were a clue as to some of his activities but Ginny wouldn't ask him about that until later) had left him with a very nice body, all firmly toned muscle and a good eight inches on his height. No more glasses left his eyes to draw you in and drown you and he had a confidence about him that probably had a lot more to do with the dangling knickers than his new physique. As none of the others seemed capable of responding, they were expecting the mopey and angry teenager of Ron and Hermione's correspondences, Ginny took things into her own hands. She alone had had a little warning.

'Why don't I help you pack?' she offered already moving out of the kitchen.

'I'll help!' a pink haired young witch volunteered eagerly rushing after Harry and Ginny and tripping up the stairs.

With a laugh Harry helped her up and led them both to his room. 'You must be Tonks,' he smiled opening his bedroom door.

'How'd you know that?' she frowned, her gaze flicking over him assessingly.

'I have my ways.'

Tonks was impressed and was about to make an attempt at getting more information on said ways when Harry flicked on the light and Ginny's mouth fell open. Never having seen or heard a description of Harry's room Tonks saw nothing wrong with it. She looked around at the clothes on the floor, the books scattered across a desk and overcrowded bookshelves and frowned.

'What?

'What do you mean what?' Ginny gasped. 'Harry, what did you do?'

Harry looked around his room, taking his time to answer. True it was bigger than it had been, the result of some nifty spell work by a very enticing blonde, and maybe his bed was bigger and new and there were an awful lot more magic books and potion ingredients lying around but he didn't think that Ginny's reaction was really warranted.

'Friend of mine told me it was about time I did something for myself.'

'So you magically expanded your room?' Ginny asked incredulously.

Harry nodded. 'Bought new furniture too, the books are mostly from a raid on the Potter vault but the clothes are the result of a very, very long day in muggle London with the most stubborn witch I have ever met who wasn't a Weasley.'

Ginny wasn't sure whether or not she was supposed to be insulted but let it slide in favor of asking him some more questions. Tonks meanwhile was busy examining an interesting book she found lying on Harry's bed about Metamorphagi.

'How do you plan on packing this stuff?' was the first question Ginny managed to articulate.

'I picked up a trunk like Moody's in Diagon Alley. Seven compartments, five of which have been magically expanded.'

'When we get home you and I are going to have a very long talk.'

Harry merely nodded and then seeing that Tonks was still absorbed in his book he quickly waved a hand and all of his belongings, including the book Tonks was reading, returned to their rightful place. Tonks looked slightly embarrassed when she realized she had been no help at all.

'Right then, let's go.'

Ginny and Harry shared an amused look as Tonks led the way out of his room floating his trunk along in front of her. When they returned to the kitchen it seemed the others had gotten their thoughts in order and Remus Lupin stepped forward to greet Harry warmly. Amused, Harry greeted his old DADA professor and then turned to greet the real Mad-Eye Moody.

'How are we getting wherever it is we're going?' Harry asked.

'They wanted to fly,' Ginny told him before anyone else had the chance. 'But when I convinced them to let me come I also convinced them that flying all the way was stupid when a portkey would work just as well.'

Harry snorted at the idea of several full grown witches and wizards giving in to the wants of a fourteen year old girl finding it rather amusing. Remus looked as though he wanted to contradict Ginny but Moody was shoving the end of a rope at him and ordering everyone in his gruff voice to grab hold. There was a brief few moments of anticipation before Harry felt the familiar tug behind his navel. The world around him became a swirl of colour and then quite suddenly he was standing on the pavement on an ordinary street in London. He raised an eyebrow at Ginny but Moody handed him a piece of paper.

'Memorize it.'

Harry did as he was told and immediately another house squeezed itself into existence between two houses, pushing the others aside like it was nothing. Everyone was looking at him expecting some sort of reaction so he gave them one, just not the one they were expecting.

'Fidelius charm, nice.'

By now Ginny had become used to this new Harry while the others were still trying to reconcile this new version with the one they knew and were expecting. It helped, of course, that she was the only one who had been regularly corresponding with Harry through letters delivered by fire. The letters he sent to Ron and Hermione were all begging for news and the anger and the depression they expected. His letters to her were different; they were full of life and showed a side of Harry that, while it may have always been there, had been hidden until recently. She knew not the reason for this change but she welcomed it.

'Quick, Harry, inside.'

Harry allowed Remus to hurry him inside. He had a few moments to looks around at the dark and grimy hallway before Tonks caused a ruckus behind him by tripping over a rather ugly umbrella stand made from what looked like a troll leg. Curtains to his left blew open and the portrait of an old woman started shouting about mudbloods and blood traitors sullying her home. While everyone scrambled about, Tonks apologizing profusely, the portrait screaming about betraying the purity of blood, and the sounds of several people hurrying up from a basement floor Harry snorted at the portrait.

It seemed no one had ever merely snorted at her before because for a moment she actually paused in her screaming to glare at Harry. She started screaming again almost instantly and a very hairy man came bursting into the hall. He was probably about to start yelling right back at the portrait when Harry said three words that shut everyone up.

'Tom Marvolo Riddle.' In the stunned silence that followed Harry walked to stand directly in front of the painting and stared the woman straight in the eye. 'You heard me,' Harry told her sharply. 'Your beloved Dark Lord, purest of the pure bloods, is nothing but a half blood ashamed of his heritage and deluding the wizarding world into seeing him as something to fear.'

The woman in the painting appeared to swell with indignation but before she could start her tirade again Harry cut her off. 'Shut it, woman.'

Caught off guard by the power and force in his words the painting did shut up. The hairy man and Remus moved forward to close the curtains around the portrait and then turned to Harry.

'Harry, I see you've met my mother.'


	3. Chapter 2

a/n: thanks to those who left me a review, it always nice to get a little feedback. i never thought i'd be writing something where a main character is with and OC but this just wanted to be written. please read and let me know what you think.

**Chapter 2: An Angry Teenage Hormone Bomb**

Ginny directed him up the stairs to the room he would be sharing with Ron. Harry was more than a little annoyed by that fact but he had already thought up a few ways around that inconvenience. Before he opened the door he turned and gave Ginny a smirk.

'Play along.'

Ginny merely nodded, having no idea what he meant and then Harry opened the door. Hermione had been about to throw herself on him in a tight hug when she really saw him and was brought up short. Ginny had to control the urge to laugh at the look on Hermione's face. She and Ron stood frozen in place mouths hanging open as they took in Harry's new appearance. He was wearing more clothes than when Ginny and the Order had rescued him but the sight was no less affective. As well as his new snug fitting black jeans he was wearing black dragon hide boots and a green t-shirt that he had been told showed off his now clearly visible green eyes. Neither Ron nor Hermione knew what to say.

'Harry!' Hermione gasped. 'You look amazing.'

Harry shrugged, affecting an indifferent façade so different from his recent behaviour with Ginny. Harry actually enjoyed the way Hermione's face drooped at his behaviour.

'So,' he asked casually, walking slowly around the room. 'Been too busy to write?'

'Harry, mate,' Ron started preparing to make his excuses. 'We wanted to write but Dumbledore-' Ron broke off when Harry snorted.

'We really did want to write Harry,' Hermione reassured him.

'You know that's funny because if I had really wanted to I could have found a way to write when a person I cared about was stuck with no way of knowing what's been happening.' He threw a wink at Ginny when the others were too busy studying their feet. His voice started to get louder as he really embraced the role of abandoned friend. 'I WAS THERE! I SAW HIM RETURN! DIDN'T YOU THINK I DESERVED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON? WHAT WAS BEING DONE?'

Hermione stuttered a response that was too jumbled for him to understand and Ron just started to turn red. Ginny, standing behind them, was having trouble controlling her laughter.

'While you were here, while you were with the Order I've been stuck with the Dursley's worrying that Voldemort is killing more people. While you've been here, where its all happening, I've been spending hours staring at the ceiling knowing that I could be, that I should be, out there doing something!'

'We really tried mate,' Ron said weakly. 'Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn't tell you anything.'

'Even if we could we wouldn't have anything to tell,' Hermione whispered. 'All we've been doing is cleaning.'

Harry gave a disbelieving grunt but flopped back on to the bed he assumed was his and did some more of the aforementioned ceiling watching. He tried very hard not to smile, if they knew even a bit of what he had been up to this summer… Before Ron or Hermione could do anymore damage control Fred and George appeared out of thin air with twin cracks.

'Ah, Harry,' Fred greeted.

'We thought we heard your voice,' George finished.

'Gred, Forge,' Harry greeted. 'Heard anything interesting?'

Both twins frowned and then looked down at the flesh colored strings they were holding. They gave him suspicious looks but then let it go in favor of exchanging information.

'Nothing.'

'There's some sort of charm on the door.'

'Too bad,' Harry said in a voice devoid of emotion. Ginny was going to have to give him props for the superb acting job. 'Hey, Gin,' Harry said suddenly, propping himself up on his elbows.

'Yeah?' she asked warily.

'How was your summer?' he asked pleasantly, flashing her one of the smiles she had been treated to earlier.

She rolled her eyes and threw a pair of Ron's socks at him. They were the closest thing she could reach but Harry merely snatched them out of the air and tossed them at Ron, hitting him in the face.

'Meetings over,' Harry said in response. 'You're mum's coming up the stairs.'

Mere moments later Molly Weasley bustled in announcing dinner would soon be ready and they should move down to the kitchen. Hermione gave Harry a funny look but he chose not to notice as he followed Ron and the twins down to the kitchen. Ginny followed quickly catching up to him on the stairs, standing close enough that she could whisper in to his ear.

'You know Lupin's probably told Sirius about the knickers.'

Harry shrugged, 'Just as long as your mother doesn't find out I think I'm safe.'

'You'll tell me everything?'

Harry turned to look at her as they moved down the hall to the kitchen. 'You? Yes.'

'Not the others?'

Harry shook his head, pulling her to the side and allowing Hermione to pass. She threw them a curious look over her shoulder but didn't stop to ask.

'They can't know, Gin, I don't want them to.'

'But you're going to tell me?'

Harry smiled. 'Maybe I like you.'

'Maybe you have a girlfriend.'

Harry shrugged. 'I wasn't lying, Gin, the others, Ron and Hermione, are supposed to be my best friends but you were the one who wrote to me. You were the one that made an effort to ignore Dumbledore. They were my best friends; they should have been the ones to ignore Dumbledore to keep me informed. Not the best mates sister who was finally over her crush.'

Ginny smacked his arm lightly but she couldn't exactly find fault in his logic. She was moving toward the kitchen again when the tense of what Harry said sunk in.

'They _were_ your best friends?'

Harry pushed her playfully into the kitchen allowing everyone to catch the tail end of their conversation. 'I found myself a very cute redhead.'

Ginny smiled brilliantly and practically skipped to her spot at the table. Ignoring the funny and suspicious looks everyone was giving him Harry followed Ginny to the table and took the empty seat beside her.

'So,' Harry said casually, leaning back in his chair and surveying the remaining Order members in a way that suggested he expected someone to speak.

Sirius, who had been bouncing in his chair, took the opportunity to get something off his chest. 'What's this I hear about you and a pair of red knickers?'

Ginny snorted; refraining from saying I told you so as everyone in the room who hadn't been at the Dursley's froze and turned to look at Harry. Mrs. Weasley had gone white and seemed to be struggling for the words to express exactly what she was feeling. Ron's mouth had fallen open and the twins looked as though Christmas had come early.

'Well,' Harry said thoughtfully, running a hand through his hair and reminding Sirius of James. 'There was this girl-'

'Was?' Sirius interrupted.

'Visiting family on Privet Drive,' Harry nodded solemnly. Ginny thought she might crack a rib given the way everyone was hanging on Harry's every word. 'Who will now be returning home with a few of her virtues nicely sullied.'

Ginny choked having unwisely decided to take a sip of Butterbeer and Mrs. Weasley dropped the knife she had been spelling to dice some carrots. The twins were looking at Harry with something akin to disbelief, little Harry-kins sullying virtue? Sirius looked a little proud, Ron rather awed and Hermione disgusted.

'Harry,' Hermione scolded. 'That's a horrible thing to say about someone.'

'How should he have said it?' Ginny asked mildly. 'That a girl staying with family on Privet Drive will be returning home having sullied _Harry's_ virtues?'

Harry laughed at that but Hermione pursed her lips dangerously suggesting to Harry that after dinner he would be treated to one of Hermione's famous morality rants.

'Dinner!' Mrs. Weasley announced, in a desperate attempt to change the subject. She would be having a discussion with her husband later concerning Harry and a talk the two needed to have.

Like Mrs. Weasley, Harry was more than happy to change the subject; he felt that when it came to telling lies and half truths the less said the better. Then again he figured Mrs. Weasley wouldn't be too keen on the new subject he wanted to discuss.

'What are you doing to stop Voldemort?' Harry asked once everyone was comfortably seated with plates full of food. Ron, who usually inhaled his food, nearly choked when he flinched at the name. Harry ignored the way most of the table flinched at the name and raised his eyebrow waiting for an answer.

Sirius, more than willing to tell Harry more than any of the Order members thought he should, answered as vaguely as he could to satisfy the glare Mrs. Weasley was sending his way and the desperate need Dumbledore had to protect Harry's youth. His vague references to a weapon they were guarding did nothing to satisfy Harry's curiosity, mostly because after a couple of weird dreams and some quick conversation with a certain Unspeakable Harry had already dealt with this so-called weapon and was just allowing the Order to keep Voldemort occupied. He was after some real news; surely Dumbledore had something up his sleeve? If he did Sirius either didn't know it or wasn't willing to share it.

'So basically, you're doing exactly what Voldemort is doing,' Harry summed up. 'You're waiting around doing nothing under the guise of preparing for a war that has already begun.'

That didn't go over very well but Harry thought someone should point it out. After all, he couldn't figure out what the Order was doing to actively stop Voldemort from gaining too much power.

'Harry's its not that easy,' contradicted Mr. Weasley. 'Fudge is still refusing to believe that You-Know-Who has returned and he is actively trying to discredit anyone who believes otherwise.'

Harry shrugged and passed Ginny a bread roll before she even had the chance to ask. She gave him a smile but her eyes were shooting him a look that told him quite clearly they were going to talk even if she had to tie him down.

'Well nobody said you had to do it in the open.'

'What do you mean?' Bill asked warily.

'We fight dirty,' he said simply. 'Take them out before they take us out.'

'What do you mean take them out?' Mr. Weasley frowned.

Harry shrugged, casually reaching for the salt. 'We kill them.'


	4. Chapter 3

a/n: thanks to all my reviewers, i appreciate the feedback. i hope you enjoy this chapter as you finally learn more about Harry's summer. as always feel free to let me know what you think.

**Chapter 3: Explanations and Concerns for the Young**

Despite being forced up to bed straight after dinner Harry knew what the main topic of conversation was down in the kitchen. His pronouncement had gone over as well as a nuclear bomb and more than one adult had looked at him in concern throughout the meal. Even Hermione had watched him carefully while he ate his way steadily through Mrs. Weasley's cooking, occasionally shooting him worried or pitying looks. It was obvious she thought this was some form of lashing out or some sort of destructive behavior bought on by the return of Voldemort and witnessing Cedric's death. Nothing he'd said to her as they left the kitchen could convince her otherwise.

But Hermione wasn't really the problem, sure she would watch him like a hawk over the next few weeks and catalogue any weird behavior but he could work around that. After all he had spent the last five weeks working around the Order members secretly watching over him. No, what was causing Harry some concern was that his "reckless" behavior would bring him under the ever more watchful eye of Dumbledore or his other professors. While he had managed to avoid detection over the summer trying to continue with his plans and his freedom during the term would be a lot harder.

He thought about all of this while he changed into his pajamas and prepared for bed. Ron was already in bed, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling deep in thought. Harry didn't notice the way Ron kept glancing over at him or how his eyes widened as he realized how much Harry had truly changed once his shirt was off. Going back to studying the ceiling Ron spoke, refusing to look at Harry as though embarrassed to even be discussing what he wanted to discuss.

'Harry, mate?'

'Yeah?' Harry replied, absently wondering about Ron's sudden fixation with the word mate.

'Were you…' he trailed off not sure how to put what he wanted to say in words or just really embarrassed to do it. 'Were you serious about that stuff,' he finished vaguely.

Harry looked up from where he was wrestling elbow deep in his trunk for a book for Ginny and raised his eyebrow at his friend. 'I say a lot of stuff, Ron, can you be more specific?'

'About that girl,' Ron said after a very long pause.

'Ah,' Harry breathed with sudden understanding. It amused him that Ron was still so awkward about the topic when he knew he was about to spend a good hour discussing the finer details with Ginny. 'You want to know if I was joking about the virtue sullying, right?'

'Right,' Ron croaked.

Harry sighed heavily, he knew that many of the blokes in sixth and seventh year frequently talked about their exploits with the girls at Hogwarts, it was almost a right of passage to talk about your experiences with your roommates, to brag about your conquests. This was not one of those situations, it was not Harry kissing a girl for the first time (well it was but that was years ago now) and it wasn't about reaching bases and scoring experience, it was bigger than that but Harry knew he would never tell Ron that.

'Look, mate, it's not really any of your business but if you must know, yes I met a girl, yes we dated for a while and yes we shagged. I'm not giving you any details.'

Ron was silent for a very long time and Harry thought he'd actually fallen asleep until he spoke. 'I get it, Harry. Sorry.'

'Don't worry about it.'

Ron went back to staring at the ceiling and contemplating what he had learned and Harry continued to wrestle in his trunk. It was starting to look like he was going to have to get in there to pry the damn thing free and he really didn't want to do that with Ron around, he'd get all curious and then mention it to Hermione who would get all excited and ask him how it worked. He didn't know how it worked, its not like when he bought it he asked for all the finer details. Finally he freed the book and placed it on the night stand, making a show of then getting into bed and turning out the light. Just when he was sure Ron was drifting off he spoke again.

'Harry?'

'Yeah?'

'What's up with you and Ginny?'

Now it was Harry's turn to take a few quiet moments before he answered. 'She's a good friend.'

Satisfied for the moment with that answer Ron drifted off. Twenty minutes after Ron's snores filled the room Harry was out of bed, snagging the book from his night stand and moving quietly out of the room and up to Ginny's. He found her sitting in bed in the dark waiting for him. He locked her door behind him and joined her on the bed. She lit a candle on the night stand to give them a little light but not enough to really draw her mother's attention.

'Did Ron ask you about your girlfriend?'

'Yeah. I fed him the same story I fed everyone else downstairs.'

'That she was visiting family and now she's gone?'

Harry nodded.

'Tell me everything.'

And so he did, starting form the very first day of the holidays when he had returned home from King's Cross to find Ally Martin sitting on his desk stroking Hedwig to the hours before Ginny and the Order came to collect him from the Dursley's. He skipped over one or two details planning to tell her later when she had had time to process everything. He talked for nearly three hours and Ginny let him, holding all her questions until he was done.

'…and then I went down to the kitchen and that was when you arrived.'

For several minutes after Harry finished speaking Ginny just sat and stared at him with her mouth open. She closed it eventually but she continued to stare at him as she arranged her thoughts and began to order some of the questions she had for him. She decided to start, like he had, from the beginning and asked her questions in order of their relevance to his story.

'She was just waiting for you to get home?' Ginny clarified. Harry nodded. 'And she took you into a trunk like yours that was spelled to experience time differently?'

'Yeah,' Harry agreed. 'For you it's only been five weeks since the holidays began but for me it's been just over two years.'

'So you're really seventeen?'

'I guess. It's weird because I feel seventeen, I'm taller and stronger but technically I'm only fifteen even though I've had two more years to learn.'

'How did you get our letters?'

Harry scrunched up his nose in a pained manor. 'Ally had this clock that would show us what time it was outside of the trunk and then we'd send our house elf to check for mail every couple of regular days. I never pretended to know exactly how it worked and she never tried to explain it to me.'

'Did you come out very often?'

'Only once or twice in the first few months, mostly to go shopping, Ally said I needed new clothes. Then after that we came out more and more, spent more time in my room at the Dursley's. For a while it was really hard to keep time straight but the stronger I got and the more stuff I learnt the less time we spent in the trunk. The last two weeks we didn't spend any time in there. I think she actually took the spells down so she could use it again.'

Ginny took her time deciding what to ask next but in the end her choice was a simple one.

'You told me all about how she trained you but you never said much about her. Who is she? I'm assuming she's the owner of the knickers.'

'Ally is unique, and I'm not just saying that because I love her. Her mother was hit with Arvada Kadava right before she was born. It was only the quick thinking of her aunt that saved her; she literally had to be cut out of her mother. Technically that means she survived the Killing curse though not directly like I did. When she was ten her aunt was killed by a Basilisk and it nearly killed her but she was saved by phoenix tears.'

'That's a little weird,' Ginny whispered, not missing the similarity between Ally's story and Harry's. 'How come I've never heard of her?'

'Because when she was healed by the Phoenix some of its blood mixed with hers.'

'I'm not following,' Ginny told him.

'She's nearly three hundred years old, Gin.'


	5. The Summer Part 1

**a/n:** a few people mentioned wanting to know more about The Summer so i decided to slip in chapters that take place during those five weeks that Harry was at the Dursley's. at the moment i think there will be 4 or 5 of them and they'll appear every four chapters. please let me know what you think, this is the first real glimpse of Ally.

**The Summer Part 1**

He wanted to go back to sleep but despite the early hour he couldn't. There was no way he could simply roll over and go back to sleep because the moment he'd woken one thing had been absolutely clear, though he was sure he'd gone to bed alone there was definitely someone else in his bed with him. That someone was curled into his side, right leg thrown over his, right arm splayed across his chest, her breath warm against his neck. Two days ago he would have blushed hard enough to do a Weasley proud and leapt out of bed desperate to get as much distance between them as possible.

But that was two days ago.

In the last two days Harry had blushed harder than he thought possible. He'd heard more innuendo, seen more cleavage, more legs, more _knickers_, than he ever thought he would. By now he felt immune to embarrassment. If he could survive yesterdays shower incident, he could survive anything. He was completely and utterly, one hundred percent, immune to anything this girl could throw at him. He was giving up, he'd tried, really he had. He'd fought really hard to ignore her, to hope she'd go away and leave him to brood in peace and he'd lost spectacularly. This strange girl had won.

Then she shifted in her sleep and he realized he wasn't as immune as he'd hoped.

Ally Martin had forced her way in to his life two days ago and she was definitely not going anywhere soon. She'd followed him around the house whenever she could be sure the Dursley's were out. She'd appeared out of nowhere several times while he was avoiding Privet Drive and she'd even walked into the bathroom while he was in the shower participating in activities brought about by the fact that he was a typical teenage boy and a very attractive girl, who insisted on wearing really short skirts, wouldn't leave him alone. And all the while she talked. Harry was pretty sure he now knew more about Ally Martin than he did about Ron and Hermione and he was pretty sure the reverse was true. No matter how hard he tried, she had this way of making him talk, frustrating him to the point that he'd answer her questions just to shut her up.

And now here she was taking over his very small bed despite the fact that he knew she had a perfectly good queen sized bed in the apartment in her magical trunk. The trunk which had taken up residence at the end of his bed forcing him to stuff his in the bottom of his wardrobe.

Yes, Harry Potter was giving in.

As if she could hear his thoughts, and Harry wouldn't put it passed her, Ally spoke surprising Harry because just seconds ago she'd been asleep.

'We're going shopping today.'

He would have groaned and protested if he thought it would have done him any good. 'Why?'

'Because your clothes are horrible and your room is a depressing reminder that the Dursley's treat you like dirt.'

He couldn't argue with that, his clothes were horrible and his room still looked like it belonged to Dudley even after he'd been sleeping in it for four years.

'What did you have in mind?'

Ally merely smiled at him and Harry had the discomforting feeling he had just sold his soul.

Three hours later he knew it was worse than that. Ally dragged him to muggle London and straight to a small street lined with clothing stores, places he never would have shopped in if he were with the Dursley's because of the rather high price attached to the items. To Ally, money was no problem. The first store they went to she pointed him to a chair near the window and told him with nothing more than an arched brow that he was to stay put while she did the actual shopping. It wasn't until Ally and the young shop assistant (another bubbly blonde) gave him a huge pile of clothes and directed him to the change rooms that he thought to ask how she knew his size when even he wasn't sure, a side affect of only ever wearing Dudley's cast offs.

'I measured you,' she explained, passing him some jeans he was to try on first.

'When?' Harry asked incredulously, he didn't remember being attacked by Ally with a tape measure.

'You were asleep.'

Anyone else and he would have found that disturbing but it was Ally and it seemed the sort of thing she would do. While the store girl giggled at the mere idea, Harry just rolled his eyes and tried on all the clothes he was handed. He tried on jeans, after jeans, t-shirt, after t-shirt until Ally was satisfied. An hour and a ridiculous amount of cash later they left the store weighed down with more shopping bags than Harry thought was necessary.

And they weren't done.

They hit several more stores, buying Harry jackets, hoodies, shoes, boots; even a hat that Ally insisted made him look sexy. She refused outright to shrink their bags so they would be easier to carry on the grounds that Harry needed to fully experience spending a ridiculous amount of money on clothes. He probably would have had more of a leg to stand on had he not been feeling exuberant over finally having his own clothes. The fact that they were pricey designer labels that Dudley would kill for was just a bonus.

They had lunch at a small café surrounded by more bags than was probably healthy. Harry couldn't help noticing that they seemed to be on the receiving end of some rather envious looks. When he mentioned this to Ally she pilfered a French fry from his plate and smirked.

'It's not the clothes they're envying; well no I suppose they do envy those, it's us.'

'Us?' he questioned, slapping her hand away before she ate all of his fries.

She kicked him lightly under the table and he surrendered a solitary fry. 'Yes us,' she agreed. 'They're a bunch of fifteen year olds out for the summer break wishing they could be us, or at least with us.'

'I have no idea what you're talking about.'

Ally sighed dramatically and leaned forward as though to emphasize her words, or at least have more hope of them getting through to Harry. 'We look very glamorous right now,' she explained slowly. 'We're two good looking people surrounding by a thousand pounds or so worth of clothes, I bet you ten pounds they think we look downright sexy.'

'You're joking?' he murmured incredulously, it was one thing to be envied and hero-worshipped in the wizarding world, there he expected it, but in muggle London?

'Perfectly serious.'

'But I don't look glamorous,' he protested.

'Have you looked in the mirror since I slipped you that potion this morning?'

Harry thought about it, he had looked in the mirror several times since she slipped him the first dose of what she dubbed "phoenix endorsed healing juice" but he couldn't say he'd noticed much of a difference. He also couldn't say he knew what it was supposed to do. Ally could tell from his blank look that he had no idea what she was talking about.

'You don' look so scary pale anymore,' she explained. 'The potion will hopefully repair whatever damage living ten years in a cupboard did to your body.'

'Oh.'

She stole his last fry and then tossed some money on the table. 'You ready?'

Harry just nodded, he was still thinking about what she'd said. This potion was supposed to, what; make him look healthier like he would have had he not spent so long in a small dark space? As he gathered more than half of the bags he couldn't help feeling a little happy with the idea. Maybe he would finally catch up to Ron or at least not be so damn pale and skinny. Those happy thoughts lasted about as long as it took to reach the furniture store Ally had in mind. There they spent fifteen long minutes choosing the right mattress, it would have taken less time but Ally insisted that she test the mattress and then disagreed with Harry's choice twice.

Harry watched as she bought first a large queen sized bed, then a nightstand, then a desk, a comfortable chair and a large bookcase. When Harry tried to remind her that his room was too small to fit it all she gave him a look that left him in no doubt that whatever she bought she would make fit. It seemed like hours before Ally was finished buying every conceivable item for his bedroom. She paid for it, declining a delivery and discretely sent it all home with a wave of her wand. She and Harry quickly followed, arriving in Harry's room with barely space to breathe and proving Harry right in his assumption that his room was far too small for all the furniture she'd bought.

'Go stand near the door,' she instructed.

Going to stand by the door involved climbing over several boxes and squeezing between others. Finally, when he was out of the way, Ally shrunk all of the new furniture. Together they moved it all in front of the door in a neat pile with all of their other shopping.

'Right,' she announced. 'Anything in this room you want to keep?'

Harry looked around the room and considered it. He took in all of Dudley's old and broken toys, all of the books he'd likely never read and the other odds and ends. In the end the only things worth rescuing were his school things and the photo album containing pictures of his parents. Those he and Ally collected and put with his new things by the door. Then he stood back and with another wave of her wand she vanished the contents of the room. Gone were all of Dudley's old belongings, gone was his old bed and all of his old clothes, his old school trunk, anything that wasn't brand new disappeared, even the old curtains. The room looked remarkably bare but still not big enough to fit all of his new furniture.

Harry knew what was coming next; still it didn't prepare him for the changes Ally wrought in his room. First she magically expanded it so it was more than twice its normal size. Then she enlarged the window, turning it in to a large bay window with a comfortable looking window seat beneath it. Before she did any more she opened the double window allowing fresh air to wash gently through the room. She didn't stop to ask Harry about colors, instead she immediately changed his walls to a deep red that matched his cherry wood furniture. She replaced the carpet with floor boards and created heavy crème colored curtains for the window. The last thing she changed was his wardrobe which she enlarged making it a walk in robe with both shelves and hanging space for his robes.

'What do you think?'

It was obvious how much she already loved it, and Harry couldn't deny that it was a hundred times better than it used to be. Ally smiled brightly when he grinned and then jumped up and down with excitement. Anyone watching would have thought it was her room given just how excited she was.

'Right. Furniture.'

Working together it took them very little time to magically assemble all of Harry's new furniture and arrange it in a way that both Harry and Ally could agree upon. That took a lot longer than actually assembling the furniture; each piece was put together and then carefully placed in the room. Harry was so happy to have his own little space that he didn't mind that most of the time Ally got her way. When they were done Harry could honestly say, for the first time ever, that a part of Privet Drive felt like home.

'Thank you.'

He and Ally were lying together on his bed, staring at the ceiling which was charmed to always show a clear night sky. He looked at her as he spoke and for the first time in the three days he'd known her was actually glad she was so stubborn.

'You're welcome.'

The lay together in silence for some time before Harry broached the subject he had been trying to ignore since she arrived.

'I'm ready, you know.'

Ally rolled on to her side and studied him. 'I know but there are a couple of things we need to do first.'

'And what are they?' Harry asked, rolling on to his side so that he was facing her.

'We need to put wards around this room to make sure your relatives don't come in here. We need to strengthen the wards I put up when I got here so the ministry doesn't know we're doing magic and we need to go to Gringotts.'

'I understand the first two but why do we need to go to Gringotts?'

'I have some books in my vault and a potion that we're going to need,' she explained. 'I also need to introduce you to Pip because she's going to be the one going to and from the trunk.'

'Your house-elf?'

'Yep.'

'Alright, let's order a pizza and then we'll start with the wards.'

That night after strengthening the wards that enabled them to do magic without the Ministry of Magic noticing and putting up gentle muggle repelling charms around his door to ward off the Dursley's, they made a quick trip to Diagon Alley before climbing into Ally's trunk.

It would be three days before Harry was once more spotted at number four Privet Drive by the secret Order members watching the house.


	6. Chapter 4

**a/n:** well its that time of the week again. time for an new chapter and a huge thanks to all of my reviewers and everyone who has shown an interest in this story. hope you enjoy this chapter and feel free to review (seriously).

**Chapter 4: Awed Silences and Heavy Burdens**

At first Ginny thought he was joking but then she realized how serious he was and she was completely gob smacked. Three hundred years old? How old did she look? Ginny had a hundred questions to ask but only one simple thing escaped when she opened her mouth.

'She must have been so alone.'

Harry smiled sadly in agreement. 'She's waited three hundred years for something like that to happen again, so she doesn't have to be alone anymore.'

'You don't mean?'

'Yeah, I survived the killing curse and I was saved from death at the fangs of a Basilisk with Phoenix tears. Apparently Fawkes mixed some of his blood in with his tears.'

'What?' Ginny asked weakly. 'Are you sure?'

Harry nodded slowly. 'She said she could tell the moment it happened but it took her this long to find out who I was.'

'That's a little romantic,' Ginny remarked obscurely. 'Did she always know you would get together? And, uh, how old does she look?'

'About twenty, something about doubling the age she was when she got the infusion of Phoenix tears and blood. She thinks I'll age until I'm twenty four and then stop. As for the other thing, I don't think it was her plan or anything I think it just happened. All she was hoping for was a friend, someone she could always come back to.'

'That's so sad and so scary,' Ginny admitted. The idea that Harry would live for such a long time terrified her. Would she have to watch her closest friend remain the same as she grew old? Still, it was a small price to pay when she thought about the girl that had captured Harry's heart being alone for nearly three hundred years. Deep down Ginny was still a romantic even if some of the joy had been tainted by her possession in first year.

'I can't believe everyone thinks you spent your summer moping,' she giggled suddenly.

'They have to,' Harry reminded her quietly. 'Ally and I talked about it and we agreed that seeing as you were the one who stood by me and made an effort to keep me informed, just generally befriended me, that you were the one I'd tell.'

'Why did you need to tell anyone?'

'If something were to happen then it's important that someone know everything.'

'Is that a possibility? Something happening?'

Harry shrugged, it was always a possibility that something went wrong, that he or Ally would be hurt or get in trouble, especially after the sorts of things they had been doing and were planning to do.

'Does she know you're safe?'

Her question reminded Harry that he had something to give her, though the connection was a little shaky.

'We can tell, I think it's a Phoenix thing.'

'That's good.'

Harry grabbed the book he'd left on the end of the bed and handed it to her. She frowned but opened it and found it to be a hand written journal of sorts. She looked up at Harry questioningly.

'It belongs to Ally; it's a record of all the spells she learnt that she thought you might find handy.'

'I can't take this!'

'Trust me, you can. Its only one book, she has dozen's more.'

'Dozens?'

'She's been around a long time, Gin.'

'Doesn't that bother you?'

Harry considered the question. Did it bother him that Ally was more than two hundred years older than him with loads more experience?

'No, it doesn't. She may have had longer to learn this stuff but she was pretty lonely. She was one of a kind, mostly human, different from everyone around her, it was hard. Besides,' he grinned. 'She doesn't act her age, no one ever knows.'

They talked for a long time, some more about what Ally taught Harry and some more about Ally herself. Harry was more than happy to talk about her, for the first time he had someone he could talk to about her. They talked in whispers well into the early morning when Ginny finally fell asleep with her head resting on Harry's shoulder. He maneuvered free and snuck back in to the room he shared with Ron. It took him until dawn broke before he finally drifted off. For a long time he simply lay in the dark listening to Ron's snores and thinking about all the ways he had changed and grown while his friends had stayed the same. He could see how easy it was to be open with Ginny, at the same time he was growing up and changing (even if he did cheat using a charmed trunk) Ginny had grown up enough to talk to him without letting her silly old crush get in the way. When she was ready to be a real friend to him he was changing with her.

For Ron and Hermione the changes were negligible. Ron had grown like he always did and discovered a new vocabulary. Hermione hadn't changed at all. Admittedly, they would need the time to grow and change as he did but the wait would be difficult. For four years Ron and Hermione had been his best friends, they were his first friends, his family. Now things had changed, Harry had his own family, had a godfather and a secret girlfriend. He had Ginny. He wasn't the same Harry that depended on his two best friends for everything. He was confident, independent; he wasn't even all human anymore. He wasn't even sure how to start telling them.

Giving it up as a painful waste of the few hours he had to sleep, Harry rolled onto his stomach and pulled his pillow over his head in a futile attempt to block out Ron's snores. He would never know that Mrs. Weasley spent the entire night in an uneasy sleep worried for his wellbeing. He would never know that Hermione had fallen asleep making a list of his odd behavior and he would never know that at that precise moment while he was blocking out snores and fading in to sleep that Albus Dumbledore was sitting, tired and hunched, at his desk pondering what had bought about the frightening changes in Harry.

The way he saw it, it was the result of one of three defining events. One, Harry's new demeanor was the result of witnessing first hand the death of Cedric Diggory at the hands of Peter Pettigrew. Two, it was the long overdue result of being touched so closely by a piece of Voldemort and three, his deep desire to protect Harry at all costs working against him when Harry was forced to not only witness but participate in Voldemort's return.

It didn't matter, the results were the same, Harry appeared to no longer oppose killing people and this would mean he would have to be watched far more closely.


	7. Chapter 5

**a/n:** hello! a big thanks to my reviewers and anyone else who is reading this. this is a nice long chapter that contains another glimpse of the changes harry has been through and an Order meeting. hope you enjoy, leave a review on your way out, thanks!

**Chapter 5: Letting Slip**

Ginny gave a frustrated sigh and looked up from her book at the other people crowded around the kitchen table waiting for breakfast. Ron was staring hopefully at his empty plate while Hermione, sitting next to him, worked on a summer essay for Potions. Sitting at the end Bill was talking with their father in hushed tones, most likely something about the Order. Watching Bill it occurred to Ginny that he may actually be able to help her.

'Bill?' she asked, not caring at all that she was interrupting a private conversation. If they really wanted to talk about the Order in secret they shouldn't do it in a house shared with Harry.

'Yeah, Ginny?'

'Have you picked up any French spending all that time with Fleur?'

Bill frowned but whether it was at her question or the insinuation behind it she couldn't be sure. 'Not really, why?'

'I need someone to translate something for me.'

'Well I can ask Fleur to have a look at it,' he offered. 'But I probably won't get it back to you until tomorrow night.'

'Nah, I'll just get Harry to do it when he gets up.'

Hermione looked up from her Potions assignment looking startled. Ron even looked up from his empty plate to give her a funny look.

'Harry doesn't speak French,' Hermione frowned. 'He can't help you, Ginny.' Hermione's tone had taken on a rather condescending slant; she was looking at Ginny with pity. Ginny had the feeling Hermione thought she was relapsing into her old Harry crush days. 'I can find you a dictionary if you want; I think I have one from two years ago.'

'You have what from two years ago?' Harry asked, breezing in to the kitchen and taking the empty seat beside Bill.

Hermione opened her mouth to explain and probably manage to make Ginny seem stupid at the same time but Ginny beat her to it. She got up and moved to sit beside Harry and opened the book she'd been reading—Ally's journal—to the pages giving her such problems.

'I can't read this part,' she explained.

Harry snorted. 'I told you her writing was bad,' he said without looking.

'Her writings fine Harry, but she wrote this part in French.'

Harry looked down at the book with a frown. At that moment Mrs. Weasley interrupted by serving him breakfast and cutting off his view of the book in front of him. It gave Hermione the opportunity to mention Ginny's misguided request that Harry translate it and once more offer up the use of her dictionary. Harry shot her a disapproving look at the way she was talking to Ginny, like she was a small child.

'Thanks, Mrs Weasley.' Harry picked up a fork and started eating while looking at the page Ginny had shown him. He nodded in sudden understanding. 'This is her research for the Department of Mysteries.'

That caught everyone's attention as so little was actually known about what went on in that particular department at the Ministry. The Order members present were particularly interested and Harry couldn't help smirking at the perfect opportunity Ginny had inadvertently presented him with.

Ginny nodded. 'What does it say?'

'It's the instructions to the wards surrounding the Hall of Prophecy,' Harry explained. 'She's just talking about the charms on the prophecies themselves, you know, how only the person the prophecy is about can remove it from the shelf and what happens to someone who touches someone else's prophecy.'

'Do you think there is a copy of Trelawney's prophecy in there?' Ginny asked with genuine interest. She was even more annoyed that she didn't read French now that she knew what was written was so interesting.

Harry shook his head. 'Most Seer's don't remember there own prophecies,' he explained to his captivated audience. Hermione was focused intently on him because she loved learning anything new, Ron was more interested in his food but Mr and Mrs Weasley and Bill were keenly paying attention. 'I'd have to give up a copy of my memory to be stored in the Hall.'

'You don't want to do that?' Hermione asked, fascinated despite her much vocalized skepticism toward the art of Divination.

Harry shook his head. 'Do you know what the Hall of Prophecy is to most people, Hermione?' she shook her head. Bill and Mr Weasley leaned forward in their chairs as though in anticipation of what he was about to say. 'Power. It's the power of knowing something others don't. It's the knowledge to control the outcome of events. It's everything Voldemort needs to win his war and it's the misguided reason Dumbledore is wasting time having the Order guard it.'

You could have heard a pin drop; such was the weight of the silence in the kitchen. Harry feigned ignorance and continued to read through the French portion of Ally's journal for anything Ginny might find interesting. He refused to make things easier for anyone by saying more on the topic of what he, and several others, felt was Dumbledore's slow descent into old coot territory. While ordinarily Hermione would have broken the heavy silence with questions now she was too stunned, sending alarmed looks at the Order members present. Sirius' arrival did nothing to lessen the tension.

'Jeez, who died,' he joked grabbing a plate and helping himself to some toast. He froze when no one responded. 'No one died, right?'

'No one died,' Harry assured him. He placed his fork down on the table and resigned himself to the fact that he would have to broach the topic because everyone else was so stunned.

'Then what happened?'

'Oh, they're just surprised that innocent little me-' Ginny snorted but he chose to ignore her. '-knows more about the Order than Dumbledore thinks I'm ready to.'

'Oh?' Sirius asked with interest. 'What do you know that Dumbledore doesn't approve of?'

Harry grinned and changed the subject slightly. 'Did you know that the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry has an entire team devoted to researching love?'

'Really?' Sirius did seem surprised though his surprise was more to do with his inability to see the need for such a study.

'Yep,' confirmed Harry. 'Its fascinated them for years at least now they now that love is supposed to be experienced, felt, not researched.'

'And how do you know that?' Mr Weasley asked, almost demanded, of Harry.

'How's Ruby Reid?' Harry asked and Mr Weasley's eyes widened.

'You're playing a dangerous game, Harry,' Bill cautioned.

'Meh,' Harry blew off the concern like it didn't mean anything. 'Ruby's a friend of a friend,' he went on to explain. 'She hauled me into the Lonely Wench a week ago to consult on gift idea's for the big three double O.'

Sirius choke on a piece of sausage and Ron turned an interesting shade of pink. Bill gaped like a fish while both his parents swelled with anger. Ginny started giggly uncontrollably and had to stuff her fist in her mouth to stop after her mother glared at her. Hermione was confused.

'What's the Lonely Wench?'

'It's a pub,' Ginny giggled, still finding the entire thing hilarious. 'A wizarding pub somewhere off Diagon Alley that...' but she dissolved in to giggles and was unable to finish her explanation. Harry, happy to help, picked up where she left off.

'The Lonely Wench is an old and unique pub,' he explained. 'And by unique I mean they have good Firewhiskey and a brothel.'

Hermione's eyes popped out of her head and Ginny fell out of her chair she was giggling so hard. 'Harry!' Hermione shrieked.

'What? I didn't go for the sex!' he assured her. 'I went for the really hot barmaids,' he joked. Hermione looked like she was about to hit him so he thought he better be serious again. 'Look Hermione, the place is licensed, not all of the waitresses work upstairs and it's a very fun place to spend a Friday night.'

Bill snorted. 'It's a whorehouse,' he scolded. 'Its dirty, has a bad reputation, and plenty of people go missing from there and turn up months later in Siberia still drunk and smiling.'

Harry grinned. 'I know. We're counting the days until Aiden Whims turns up.'

'How many has it been now?' Sirius asked, though he immediately wished he hadn't as Mrs Weasley turned her glare on him.

'According to Ruby thirty two days, she's still waiting for him to get back so they can get married.'

'Aiden Whims,' Ron murmured. 'Isn't he Keeper for Puddlemere?'

'Yep,' replied Harry, putting extra emphasis on the 'p'. 'Oliver's ecstatic.'

Ron launched in to a Quidditch ramble about Puddlemere's chances now that Whims was unable to play, distracting all of the Weasley men and Sirius and making Hermione roll her eyes. Harry managed to sneak out of the kitchen while Mrs Weasley was focused on yelling at Sirius for not, in turn, yelling at Harry. Ginny caught up to him on the stairs.

'You know you're taking me there for my birthday, right?'

'Absolutely.'

Things were tense in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. They always were when an Order meeting was in progress but tonight's meeting was especially tense because no one was entirely sure how to bring up the topic of Harry's knowledge and mild belief that Dumbledore was an old coot. Finally, as the meeting was drawing to a close Mrs Weasley brought it up.

'Harry knows about the Hall of Prophecy and that the Order is guarding it.'

The silence in the kitchen was so complete it's a wonder none of the Order heard Harry and Ginny snickering from upstairs where they were using Harry's new talents to eavesdrop on what even Dumbledore thought was a secure room.

'Excuse me?' Dumbledore's all knowing and often superior look slipped, he almost sputtered, genuinely shocked.

'How?' McGonagall questioned through pursed lips. Her lips were held so tightly together to stop herself from smirking at the astonishment on Dumbledore's face, it was not every day you saw the great Albus Dumbledore taken by surprise.

It was Bill who answered. 'He has friends in very high and very low places.'

'I'm not sure I understand,' Remus spoke up. Dumbledore had now gone white; though he wasn't saying anything. He had lost his annoying eye twinkle.

'He has several friends within the Ministry,' Bill elaborated. 'I asked around today at work and the goblins aren't talking but one of the witches who acts as a wizarding representative swears she's seen Harry several time this summer and every time he's with the same blonde. According to her, his accounts have been activated frequently and have been connected with several larger vaults.'

'Were you able to find out who the blonde is or which vaults his have been connected to?' Dumbledore asked, speaking for the first time, since he'd lost his firm knowledge that Harry was innocent and safe.

Bill shook his head. 'Whoever she is, she's really well respected by the goblins. I couldn't get anything on any of Harry's vaults because sometime over the last few weeks his status has changed.' Several bewildered looks were thrown his way. Bill shrugged. 'I don't know why. The only thing I did find out was that an emergency trust fund has been set up for Ginny.'

'What?' Mrs Weasley gasped. 'Someone set up a trust for Ginny?'

'For quite a bit of money, too, I don't know what Harry's up to. Why set up a vault for Ginny but not Ron?'

Professor McGonagall snorted at this. 'Really Bill, isn't it obvious?'

He looked at her blankly and McGonagall found herself sharing a moment of exasperation with Tonks and Hestia.

'They're close, much closer than Harry, Ron and Hermione are,' Tonks explained. 'That's your fault, Dumbledore; she was the only one who kept in contact with him while he was at the Dursley's.'

Dumbledore showed no signs that he was wrong in his decision to withhold information from Harry.

'It blew up in your face, Albus,' Moody grunted. 'He's been all over London, in and out of Diagon Alley.'

'He knows more about this war than you do, Dumbledore,' Mundungus supplied.

'How so?' Mr. Weasley asked. He could honestly say he hadn't even known Dung was present until he'd started speaking. And now he sounded like he had some information.

'He an' his girlfriend nearly killed six Death Eaters three weeks ago. Harry nearly took of Malfoy's arm, I never seen a bludgeoning hex that powerful.'

Dumbledore sighed heavily and the Order couldn't help but hold their breaths. They respected Dumbledore but some members couldn't help but question his adamancy that Harry be allowed to have a childhood, especially given the fact that he'd never had one before and wouldn't know what to do with one.

'It seems that Mister Potter will need to be watched more carefully from now on, we cannot afford for him to learn too much or to put himself at risk. I will take measures to ensure he is unable to leave Grimmauld place until September 1st.'

Dumbledore fled before any of the Order members could question him.


	8. Chapter 6

a/n: hello! i'd like to thank all my wonderfull reviewers and give a super special shout out to JEFF HARDY FAN31 for just being awesome. please read and review because i love hearing what you think. enjoy!

**Chapter 6: Long Days at Grimmauld Place**

'This just came for you,' Ginny greeted Harry with a yawn. She slid into the chair beside him at the kitchen table and handed him the letter that had appeared like so many before it in her room in a flash of blue flames.

'Thanks, Gin.' Harry took the note and pocketed it. 'Did you get any sleep last night?'

Ginny nodded through another yawn. 'A little.'

Harry studied her closely, aware of Mrs. Weasley covertly doing the same. Harry had been at Headquarters for two weeks and though he was spending plenty of time with his friends he was bored with the constant cleaning. The only fun he really got to have was under the cover of darkness. He and Ginny were using her room to train and the strain was starting to show on Ginny.

'Maybe we should skip tonight,' Harry suggested in a whisper.

Ginny looked like she wanted to say no but she really needed the sleep. Harry smiled at her and went back to his breakfast. The twins were the next down followed by Ron and Hermione who were arguing. It sounded like Ron had been unlucky enough to be passing by when Hermione discovered the new addition to the House Elf heads. Harry figured he would save Ron some trouble and cut Hermione off as soon as she sat down, muttering darkly about improper care and slavery.

'Actually Hermione, the reason Kreacher is now hanging with his ancestors is because Ginny and I removed that portrait of Sirius' mum yesterday and he jumped in front of my severing charm.'

Hermione opened her mouth, no doubt to hotly scold him for his uncaring attitude and probably his misuse of magic underage but Mrs. Weasley actually cut her off.

'I had wondered who managed to remove that horrid thing,' she said. 'However did you manage it?'

'The old bag used blood magic to stick her portrait to the wall,' Harry said darkly. 'A splash of blood and a good severing charm and the thing was gone.'

'That's horrible!' Hermione exclaimed. 'Surely you didn't use your blood Harry?'

Harry shook his head and Ginny held up her hand to show her hand perfectly clear of any scars or marks. 'I had to,' she said. 'It wouldn't work with Harry's.'

'Really?' Hermione asked, intrigued despite her obvious disgust at the use of blood. 'Why not?'

Harry shrugged and offered up what must have been the one hundredth lie he had told since arriving at Grimmauld Place. 'Not pure enough I guess.'

At that moment a barn owl swooped in to the kitchen depositing half a dozen letters in front of Mrs. Weasley. Harry took his letter and opened it with a bit of apprehension, if the letters were going out then it meant Dumbledore had finally filled the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Whether it was a competent wizard or a Ministry chump was yet to be seen. He breathed a huge sigh of relief when he read the title of the set book, it was one he had and it was an excellent guide to start with. Whoever their professor was they had obviously taken in to account the pathetic teaching they'd had previously. Harry was passing his letter to Ginny for her to have a look at when Hermione shrieked and started bouncing up and down in her chair in excitement.

'I'm a prefect!' she announced happily. Harry and Ginny exchanged amused looks with the twins but chose not to say anything.

'Congratulations Hermione!' Mrs. Weasley beamed a sudden choking noise had everyone looking at Ron who was turning a startling shade of red and holding something shiny in his hand with a stunned look.

'Oh Ron!' Mrs. Weasley shrieked, diving on her youngest son and giving him a rather large hug and a kiss. She looked almost close to tears she was so happy. Harry gave what little of Ron he could see around Mrs. Weasley an amused smile. The twins looked disgusted but Ginny was paying no attention to Ron, rather she was looking at Hermione, shooting her an angry look. Harry turned to see what Hermione was doing and found her staring at him in bewilderment.

'What?'

'I though for sure you'd make Prefect,' she answered in a whisper too low for Ron to hear.

Harry snorted. 'Why would Dumbledore make me prefect when he thinks I'm mentally and emotionally unstable?' Harry asked, not bothering to keep his voice down.

'Harry he doesn't think that!' Hermione admonished.

'Um, actually Hermione, he does,' Ginny corrected. 'He talked to Sirius about it.'

Hermione looked horrified but didn't say any more. Ron was at this point free of his mothers embrace and asking in a quiet hopeful voice if he could have a broom as he already had an owl.

'Oh Harry! Can I borrow Hedwig to send a letter to my mum and dad? I think they'll be really excited, prefect is something they can understand.'

'Sorry, Hermione, you'll have to use Pig, Hedwig isn't here.'

Hermione was so excited about telling her parents it didn't even occur to her to ask where Hedwig was; after all as far as she knew everyone Harry would bother writing was in the room with them.

'Why don't you all spend the day having fun,' Mrs. Weasley suggested. 'You can give me your booklists and a list of anything else you might need and I'll get it today. Harry, dear, I'll need your key.'

Harry handed over his letter and then began to pat himself down in hopes of finding his vault key in one of his pockets. He had a much more reliable method of accessing his accounts now and very rarely used the key. The last time he remembered using it he had been wearing the same jeans and he found the key in the very bottom of his pocket. He handed it to Mrs. Weasley and followed the other Weasley's and Hermione out of the kitchen to spend the day playing games of exploding snap and losing spectacularly to Ron at chess.

It was while Harry was losing for the second time to Ron that Molly Weasley gathered her things together and flooed to the Leaky Cauldron. She fought her way along the surprisingly busy Alley; it seemed that given the late release of Hogwarts letters everyone was arriving at the same time to collect their things, there was even a queue at Gringotts. Molly joined the line behind a black haired family of four. The queue was slow moving, Molly had only advanced a handful of steps when a young blonde woman entered, completely ignoring the line and approaching one of the many Goblins bustling about, this one with a stack of parchment balanced precariously in his arms.

Whoever the woman was she was obviously important because when the Goblin looked up to tell her to join the queue like everyone else he dropped his parchment and start stuttering apologies. The young woman, Molly still couldn't get a good look at her, smiled good naturedly and bent to help the goblin pick up his scattered parchment. The goblin then scurried off leaving the young woman to wait. Molly's turn finally came and she approached the available goblin, she had no idea what the people in front of her in the queue had been doing because it took her barely thirty seconds to explain what she want and be directed to an available goblin and cart. She tried to get a better look at the blonde as the goblin led her out of the marble hall but she was turned away. She saw the young woman be greeted by the head goblin and then watched in amazement as the head goblin himself led her to an available cart.

Just as her own cart started tearing down the rails Molly could have sworn she heard Ragnok instructing the parchment carrying goblin to compile the requested documentation of Potter assets. Molly made a mental note to speak to Dumbledore, a note she underlined when she entered Harry's vault to find it rather emptier than the previous year. She decided not to bother Harry with it until they knew something more.

Pocket weighed down considerable by Harry's gold and heart swelling with pride at Ron making prefect, Molly Weasley headed back out into the sunshine of Diagon Alley to complete her shopping.


	9. Chapter 7

**a/n:** thanks to everyone who reviewed, and anyone who read this as well. this chapter sees Harry finaly off to school so read, let me know your thoughts and could someone tell me what the plural for phoenix is? is it phoenixes or what cause that don't look right. anyway. read on...

**Chapter 7: Conflict on the Hogwarts Express**

'I could have done without the escort,' Harry muttered darkly as he and Ginny passed through the barrier on to platform 9 ¾ together.

Ginny gave Harry a look that quite clearly told him to quit complaining. 'Its not like they know you could hold your own. If you want to pretend that you're still the old Harry you have to deal with the consequences.'

Harry frowned at her as they began moving after Ron and Hermione toward the end of the train. 'Something wrong, Gin?' he asked cheekily.

She glared at him but then she smiled. 'I'm good, I'm free from mum, we can train in the open and you my dear Harry will have plenty of time to sneak out of Hogwarts to meet up with your girlfriend.'

Harry's eyes glazed over slightly at the prospect of so much freedom after a month trapped at Headquarters. The appeal of all that freedom was of course the chance to meet up with Ally. Harry shook his head to find Ginny giving him an amused look.

'Come on, Romeo, let's find a compartment.'

They did find a compartment that was mostly empty, its only occupant the blonde and slightly crazy Luna Lovegood. She was perfectly happy to read her magazine while Harry and Ginny chattered easily with Neville who had arrived shortly after them. Plenty of people stopped by to say hello but most of them just wanted to gawk at the Boy Who Lied, the idiot claiming Voldemort had returned. Harry barely noticed the attention; he was so busy building a tower out of exploding snap cards. While they worked Neville told them about his summer, even Luna joined their game. Harry was just placing the last card on the tower when the whole thing exploded throwing them all back in to their seats. Laughing, Harry raised his wand to repair the damage done to not only the compartment but Neville's eyebrows when the door opened and Cho Chang stepped inside.

'Hello, Harry,' she greeted shyly.

'Oh, hey Cho,' Harry said absently, turning his back on her to fix Neville and winking at Ginny. 'Did you need something?'

'No, just thought I'd say hi.'

'Oh, well hi.'

'Bye, Harry.' Blushing Cho fled the compartment.

Ginny threw a chocolate frog at Harry. 'That was mean.'

Harry just shrugged and tossed a licorice wand at her. They had launched an all out sweet war, which both Luna and Neville had refused to join instead hiding in one corner of the compartment and discussing the articles in the Quibbler, when Ron and Hermione finally returned from their prefect duties. Ron walked right into the middle of their fight and copped a chocolate frog to one ear and a box of Bertie Botts to the other.

'What's up with you?' Harry asked ducking another frog and noticing that rather than being angry Ron had just slumped into an empty seat and started eating the frog Ginny hit him with.

'Malfoy's a prefect.'

Harry gaped at Ron in disgust and was consequently thwacked in the face by a licorice wand.

'Who else made prefect?' Ginny asked, tapping Harry's cheek apologetically

'Daphne Greengrass is the other Slytherin.' Hermione then supplied a list of prefects and aside form Malfoy Harry thought they were all pretty decent. 'I don't really know much about Daphne,' Hermione finished. 'She seems nice though.'

'She doesn't agree with most of the Slytherin ideals,' Luna said, surprising Hermione who had not even realized she was there.

'Who're you?' Ron asked rudely.

'Luna Lovegood,' Ginny supplied, glaring at her brother. 'She's a Ravenclaw in my year.'

Luna locked eyes with Ron and it wasn't long before he was looking away, the tips of his ears turning red. After that conversation fell into its normal pattern, Ron and Hermione bickered, Harry and Ginny went back to creating a card castle and Neville talked to them all about his new plant. Hermione had just suggested they put on their school robes when the compartment door flew open and Draco Malfoy's sneering face appeared.

'Well, well, well, what have we here?' he drawled, eyes roving over the compartment.

Harry didn't bother to look up from his cards. 'Tell me, Malfoy, how is dear old daddy's shoulder?'

Malfoy froze for a second before his eyes narrowed and he glared at Harry.

'There's nothing wrong with my fathers shoulder, Potter, but I think there's something wrong with your head.'

'You know its funny,' Harry continued in an even tone. 'I could have sworn that he I hit him with a bludgeoning hex when I crashed his little get together this summer.'

Harry looked Malfoy directly in the eye for the first time and was satisfied to see that Malfoy had understood his words perfectly and that he now looked a little frightened.

'I have no idea what you're talking about,' Malfoy snarled but the effect was dampened by the force it took to keep his voice from cracking.

'Go back to your compartment, Malfoy; the big boys are playing now.'

'Why you-'

Harry cut Malfoy off before he even got his threat out, though how he did this no one was entirely sure. All they knew was one minute Malfoy had been about to make some sort of threat and the next he was frozen unable to say or do anything.

'You will leave now.' Malfoy fled and Harry turned back to his cards with a smirk. 'That was just way too easy.'

'Harry-' Hermione began but he cut her off unintentionally.

'Ohh, excuse me people, I've got a date with a Bones.'

Harry was up and out of the compartment before anyone could respond. He darted out into the corridor and hurried after the blonde Hufflepuff that had just passed by his compartment. He barely noticed the way every girl in the corridor gaped at him as he passed, or the few boys that did, he assumed they were all gaping at him because of the lies the _Daily Prophet_ was spreading about him. He wasn't entirely wrong, people were staring at him because of that but also they were staring at him because he had changed a lot since they'd last seen him looking broody and depressed.

'Susan!' The girl in question turned in surprise at being addressed by Harry but she stopped and waited for him to catch up.

'Hello, Harry,' she greeted warmly; she seemed genuinely happy to see him and was looking at him with none of the distrust most people looked at him with these days. 'How was your summer?'

He smiled cheekily back at her. 'Bloody brilliant. Yours?'

'It was good,' she replied, ignoring the way her two friends behind her started giggling. 'Did you need something?'

'Actually yes,' Harry informed her. 'Dumbledore's been checking my mail-'

'Why?' Susan questioned.

Harry rolled his eyes. 'I did some things over the summer that, while perfectly normal for everyone else, are apparently not something I can indulge in.'

Susan raised an eyebrow, intrigued to hear that the Boy-Who-Lived and his biggest supporter seemed to be on the outs. 'What on earth did you do?'

Harry smiled. 'Met a girl, fell in love, launched an attack on several key Death Eaters, you know, the usual for me.'

Susan giggled. 'What do you need?'

Harry withdrew a thick wad of parchment from the back pocket of his jeans and handed it to her. She glanced down and found the front of the package was addressed to her aunt Amelia.

'Can you send this to your aunt?

'Sure thing, Harry.' Susan smiled brightly and left with her giggling friends.

The walk back to the compartment he was sharing with his friends consisted of even more strange looks. It didn't help that Harry eyed up one of the sixth year girls that hadn't changed into her robes yet and was still wearing a rather snug pair of denim shorts.

No one spoke for a long time after Harry returned to the compartment, no one knew what to say. The first person to broach the topic of Harry's strange behavior was, like always, Hermione. Though she had the sense to wait until they were in the carriages, making their way up the drive of Hogwarts, so he was unable to escape.

'What did you mean when you said that thing about Malfoy's father, Harry?'

Harry stayed silent for so long Hermione thought he hadn't heard her. He continued to gaze out the window for a long time. She had given up all hope of getting a straight answer when he spoke.

'I was out shopping with a friend and we stumbled across a Death Eater…tea party I guess you could call it. Lucius and I fought and I nearly severed his arm with a bludgeoning hex.'

'How come no one knew about that?' Ron asked.

'Ginny knew,' Harry shrugged. 'And Dung.'

Though Hermione was far from satisfied with the answer he had given she let it slide. She would think of more creative ways to get the truth out of him when he least suspected it. It wasn't healthy to bottle that much fear and anger.

'That's a very interesting tattoo Harry,' Luna commented. 'Does it always move like that?'

Harry looked down at the flame tattoo that had appeared on his left wrist shortly after meeting Ally. It usually only moved when she was near but she had mentioned the possibility of renting a room in Hogsmeade to be closer to him.

'Not always, it's charmed to follow my heart,' he answered cryptically.

Luna nodded as though she understood exactly what he meant. Harry frowned and spent the rest of the journey up the long drive studying the Ravenclaw fourth year. Luna knew a lot more than she let on, it was obvious in the little comments she made. When the carriage came to a stop Harry got out first and offered Luna a hand down, she smiled vaguely at him and he knew he would make a point of getting to know the very strange girl.

Inside the Great Hall was filled like usual with students talking loudly and animatedly, a bubble of excitement filling the atmosphere as they waited for the sorting to begin. Luna mumbled a goodbye and left for the Ravenclaw table while Ron, Hermione, Neville, Harry and Ginny found seats together at the Gryffindor table. Ron stared longingly at his empty plate while the students around him talked. Hermione was studying the staff table with her nose crinkled in thought.

'Hagrid's not here,' she informed them. 'I saw Professor Grubbly-Plunk leading the first years.'

'Must still be on assignment for Dumbledore,' Harry said absently, he was locked in a hateful stare down with Snape.

'There is also no DADA professor.'

Harry wrenched his gaze from Snape's and studied the rest of the table. There was an empty gap between Professors Flitwick and Sprout.

'He did find someone, didn't he?' Hermione chewed her lip anxiously. 'This is our OWL year.'

'Relax, Hermione,' Ginny soothed. 'They're probably just running late.'

At that moment McGonagall entered the Great Hall leading a line of terrified looking first years up to the front. Harry smiled, thinking about how scared he'd been at his own sorting. Ron grumbled about being starved and Hermione shushed him. Silence fell in the Hall as everyone stared at the old wizard's hat. A tear opened near the brim and the hat sang a song about uniting the houses and standing together in order to defeat an enemy. Honestly, Harry tuned much of the song out; he got the gist and figured that was enough. If he needed more information he could always ask Hermione about it later.

Once the sorting was completed Dumbledore stood to make his announcements.

'Before we begin our feast I would like to introduce to you our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.' He gestured to the doors at the entrance to the Great Hall and continued on with a smile and small flourish of the hand. The doors of the Great Hall flew open and in walked a young woman with shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing tight black jeans and black boots. Her hair was pulled over her shoulder with a black ribbon and she was wearing a loose fitting white shirt. There was a long black leather cord with a pendant hanging around her neck.

'Professor Ally Martin.'

Harry swore. Very loudly.


	10. Chapter 8

**a/n:**i'd like to thank my reviewers and subscribers and just about everyone who has shown even the slightest enthusiasm for this story. i've started uni up again so updates might come later than usual. still next chapter will be part 2 of the summer this one...well you'll have to read it to find out.

**Chapter 8: Sweet Dreams My…**

Hermione arrived in Gryffindor Tower quite a while after Harry which was both a good and a bad thing. She arrived with the impressionable and still mildly terrified students in the middle of what could only be described as an explosion. It seemed that most students had already escaped to their dormitories, those that hadn't been lucky enough were curled up on chairs as close to the walls as they could get. Ron's mouth fell open and Hermione forgot what it was she had been about to tell the first years. Instead they stood, mouths open, leaders of an equally stunned though more terrified group of eleven year olds.

Ginny stood in the centre of the room trying to calm down Harry who was pacing furiously back and forth before her. Ginny had her wand in her hand though she wasn't pointing it at anyone in particular; instead it was held firmly at her side ready to be used at a moments notice. Harry was pacing up a storm oblivious to everyone but Ginny it seemed.

'Harry breathe!' Ginny ordered. 'Dumbledore's going to notice if you blow up the Tower.'

Harry continued to pace, apparently he didn't even hear Ginny. Behind Hermione a first year girl whimpered. She didn't blame the girl for being scared the atmosphere in the room was positively pulsing with magic.

'The room isn't fire proof!' Ginny tried again.

It didn't help at all but he did start to rant a little. He started out mumbling too quiet for anyone to actually hear but the more he spoke the louder and more intent he seemed to get. Hermione found herself backing towards the portrait hole without ever thinking of doing so. He wasn't making any sense to her but at least Ginny seemed to understand him.

'I need to hit someone,' he concluded, breathing heavy.

'No you need to calm down, your clothes are starting to smoke and while I'm used to seeing you go up in a pillar of fire I don't think anyone else is quite ready for the full Harry affect.'

It was only after Ginny pointed it out that Hermione and Ron noticed their friend was starting to smoke. Alarmed Hermione prepared to perform a water charm, luckily she didn't need one. Harry stopped pacing and closed his eyes breathing steadily until he was back to a normal rate. Calmer, his clothes stopped smoking.

'Now you can go hit someone,' Ginny told him simply. 'I'm not apposed to giving Dumbledore a good smack.'

At that Harry actually smiled.

'Thanks, Gin, but I think I'm just going to go to bed.'

Hermione tried not to appear shocked when Harry gave Ginny a one armed hug and kissed the top of her head.

'Night, Gin.'

He had disappeared completely before Hermione regained her wits and remembered the first years she was chaperoning. In a quick burst of motion she directed the girls and boys to their respective dormitories and almost pounced on Ginny. Ron just nodded sleepily at his sister before heading toward the boys' staircase. He paused, foot hovering over the first step when Ginny called out to him.

'Yeah?'

'If you wake up in the middle of the night and Harry's on fire just put his bed out.'

'Right,' he promised with a bewildered look. 'Night Ginny.'

'Goodnight Ron.'

Ginny made her way to her dorm room trying really hard not to notice Hermione scurrying after her. When Hermione followed her into the forth year dormitory Ginny had enough.

'Leave off Hermione; he just got into an argument with Seamus.'

Taken aback Hermione said nothing for a few moments. Ginny ignored her to the best of her ability and started getting ready for bed. When Hermione still hadn't left and Ginny was returning from the bathroom she sighed and sat down of her bed gesturing for Hermione to join her.

'What do you want me to say Hermione?'

'I want you to stop what you're doing.'

'Excuse me?'

Hermione sighed and crossed her arms, making a point to lock eyes with Ginny. 'You're enabling Harry to hide from what he's feeling, what I just witnessed in the common room is a perfect example of why you need to stop what it is you're doing.'

Ginny looked at Hermione blankly. It was late, she was tired and she had no idea what Hermione was insinuating. 'Huh?'

Hermione gave Ginny a look that suggested she was stupid for not following and then uncrossed her arms to place them in her lap. She looked down at her hands for a moment, ordering her thoughts and then turned her confused logic on Ginny.

'You don't know Harry like Ron and I do,' she said eventually. 'He doesn't like to talk about things, he'll let them eat at him until there's nothing of him left unless you force it out of him, make him confront what it is he's feeling.'

'Hermione-'

'No Ginny let me talk.' Ginny rolled her eyes but thankfully Hermione didn't notice. 'I don't know what it is that's going on between the two of you, I mean, I know you had that crush on him but I thought Harry had a girlfriend over the summer and well I think you're so happy that Harry's treating you like his best friend that you're overlooking what Harry needs.'

'Hermione-'

'When Harry left for the Dursley's he was broken, he'd just witnessed a murder and been forced to participate in You-Know-Who's return. He had to fight to escape and he blames himself for not being able to save Cedric. We were worried that he would spend his summer agonizing over the events of last spring. We were wrong at least when he's brooding about it he's facing it. This, what he's doing, pushing it to the back of his mind, covering it in a confident tough attitude, is not healthy. Ginny what happened downstairs is further proof that he's not coping.'

'Hermione-'

'I understand that you like being Harry's best friend but if you truly love Harry, if you want what's best for him, then you will force him to come to terms with what happened. What he's doing now is not healthy and will only hurt him more in the long run. It will hurt _you_.'

Ginny gave her a few moments to breathe and appear to be processing what Hermione had been trying to tell her. When she was sure Hermione was finished talking she spoke.

'Are you done?'

Hermione nodded, though she looked disappointed that Ginny wasn't falling over all apologetic and repentant.

'I know you're worried about Harry, Hermione. I know what it is you're trying to tell me but the thing is Harry's okay.' Hermione started to protest but Ginny held up a hand to stop her. 'Harry had nightmares, he brooded,' she assured Hermione. 'Then he met a girl and do you know what that girl did?'

'No,' Hermione admitted, she knew nothing about Harry's girlfriend.

'She talked to him nonstop for two days about anything and everything, she forced him to confront what he was feeling, forced him to come to terms with Cedric's death and Voldemort's return. Its one of the reasons Harry likes her so much. He may not be completely over it, he may still have the occasional nightmare, but he's okay.'

Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment but deep down she remained unconvinced.

'What happened in the common room-'

'-what happened down there,' Ginny interrupted, 'has nothing to do with Cedric's death or Voldemort's return. Well no that's not true, Seamus saying he and his mum believe the _Daily Prophet_ set Harry off but it was just the last straw. I'm not going to insult you by lying Hermione but I'm not going to break my word to Harry and tell you what it was about. I will tell you that Dumbledore did something that really pissed him off and that is why he was so angry.'

'The swearing at dinner?' Hermione guessed.

Ginny laughed, neither confirming nor denying Hermione's words. 'He's got detention with McGonagall tomorrow night for that.'

That sat in comfortable silence for several minutes. Ginny kept glancing at the clock trying to think of a polite way to get rid of Hermione so she could go to sleep. Hermione was thinking over everything Ginny had said, analyzing and reanalyzing what she'd had to say in the hopes of discovering a slip up, a hint about what Harry had been up to. Eventually Ginny threw nicety to the wind and told Hermione to bugger off so she could sleep.

That night Ginny went to bed with a headache while Hermione lay awake for over an hour thinking about Harry and all the ways he had changed over the summer. She thought about every action, every word, in an attempt to solve the mystery that was Harry James Potter.


	11. The Summer Part 2

**a/n: **i would like to thank all of my readers and an extra special thank you to those who took the time to review and tell me your thoughts. this is (obviously) the second part of the summer, i hope you enjoy it. let me know what you think.

**The Summer Part 2**

They had a routine. Every morning at five o'clock Harry would get up and spend two hours working out. He would run for an hour on a muggle treadmill and then spend another hour doing push-ups, sit-ups and lifting weights while Ally had her turn on the treadmill. Then at seven o'clock they would have breakfast, shower and prepare for the day. The days were busy; both were doing everything they could to prepare for Voldemort.

From eight to twelve every day Ally tutored Harry in Potions, Transfiguration, Charms and Ancient Runes. They would break for an hour for lunch and then from one to four Ally taught Harry everything she knew about Defense Against the Dark Arts, and that was quite a bit. She taught him about fighting hand-to-hand and with a sword. By four o'clock it was safe to say that Harry was exhausted but he then spent an hour studying Occlumency, a form of magic dedicated to protecting the mind from mental attacks. Both were hoping it would help keep the strange dreams Harry was receiving from Voldemort at bay.

It was a very intense training program but Harry's progress spoke for itself. With all of the physical training he was fitter, healthier, more muscled and a hell of a lot faster than he had been. He was no longer the scrawny, pasty boy he had once been. With the help of Ally's healing potions he had caught up to what he should have been and the exercise and work outs had done the rest. Harry felt much better, much more confident in himself. Even better, in his opinion was that Ally had given him a potion to correct his eyesight. With perfect vision he no longer had to worry about losing or breaking his glasses.

Of course even with the perfect eyesight it didn't stop Ally from getting him specialized contacts. These contacts were an experiment done by the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry, an attempt to even the odds for Aurors. The contacts were a clear lens spelled to see through Invisibility cloaks, not unlike Mad-Eye Moody's magical eye. These contacts fused permanently with the eye and would last as long as Harry had his eyes. He was hoping that was longer than Moody. Ally took a pair for herself and often tested them when training with Harry by slipping under his cloak and seeing how long before he could find her.

As much as Harry enjoyed these physical changes and the changes to his magical abilities, he felt confident that he would be able to easily sit his OWLs for almost all of his subjects; it was the other change to his life he enjoyed the most. That change was his relationship with Ally. Things between Ally and him had become more and more intense culminating in a rather explosive snogging session one afternoon after she wiped the floor with him while they were training.

Their relationship developed very quickly after that, much quicker than either anticipated. It wasn't until Ally's birthday in October that the true extent of their relationship was exposed. With Pip's help, Harry organized a nice dinner and an even better desert.

They skipped dinner entirely.

When Ally emerged from the bathroom wearing nothing but underwear she found Harry waiting for her on their bed. Really, the fact that they never felt it necessary to get a second bed should have been a clue. He was dressed to impress, nice jeans and a nice green shirt but that wasn't what caught her attention. In his hands he was holding a narrow velvet box. Her birthday present. She smiled excitedly and forgot all about getting dressed. She practically bounced over to him in her excitement, wondering when he had gotten the chance to sneak away to get her a present, given the strange time difference between her enchanted trunk and the real world.

He pulled her down on to the bed beside him and kissed her gently on the lips. 'Happy Birthday, Als.'

Smiling, she eagerly took the box from his hands and opened it. Her breath caught in her throat, inside the box was a delicate white gold link bracelet with a heart shaped pendent inlaid with a diamond and engraved with her initials. What really caught her attention was not the bracelet or the diamond but the inscription, the way the letters were done implied they were charmed. And there was only one charm you put on inscriptions on jewelry.

'Oh, Harry!' she exclaimed, fingering the delicate A and M. 'It's beautiful.'

'I'm glad you like it, do you have any idea how hard it is to organize stuff around the time difference?'

Ally laughed and held out her wrist so he could put the bracelet on. She held it up and admired it some more before looking at Harry.

'I love you, Harry Potter,' she told him in a whisper.

'Good,' he replied. 'Cause I love you too, Ally Martin.'

He kissed her then, his hand cupping her cheek. Her arms came up to wrap around his neck and she fell back on to the bed pulling him with her.

'We have dinner,' he murmured through their kiss.

'Dinner can wait,' she informed him, her hands sliding down his shoulders until they were pressed against his chest. She started to unbutton his shirt, her lips moving away from his mouth to trail light kisses along his jaw and down his neck.

'Dinner can definitely wait,' he agreed as she finished unbuttoning his shirt and began to push it off his shoulders.

His skin felt hot everywhere her lips touched and it didn't occur to either of them that it was a little hotter than it should have been. Harry reclaimed her lips even as she began to work on his jeans. He distracted her when he ran his hand up her thigh, leaving a red hot trail wherever his fingers touched. His fingers continued to dance over her skin while she worked frantically to get his jeans off. Frustrated she flipped him on to his back, breaking his kiss to trail burning kisses down his chest and stomach until she reached the waistband of his jeans. He raised his hips and allowed her to pull them off; it felt like just seconds later he was tearing off her underwear. Neither noticed, so caught up in the moment that the burning heat they were feeling wasn't normal. Or that the sheets beneath them were starting to smoke.

They came together in an explosion of pleasure and magic. The sheets beneath them burned but neither felt the flames. As they collapsed back on to the bed neither noticed the burning on their wrists.

Miles away Lord Voldemort fell to his knees, his skin burning, tugging painfully in every direction as though he were being torn apart. His screams were felt by every one of his Death Eaters as their master burned alive.

Ginny Weasley was bored. Even the jokes Sirius was telling her twin brothers couldn't hold her attention. Across the table from her Ron and Hermione were huddled together arguing quietly about the latest letter they'd received from Harry. Ginny almost felt sorry for them. Almost. They'd been on holidays for four days now and trapped at Grimmauld Place for three of those four days. Each and every one of them had been spent cleaning. She now knew how a house-elf felt, though it didn't endear Hermione's SPEW idea to her any.

Almost as soon as they arrived at Grimmauld Place, Headquarters of Dumbledore's little Order of the Phoenix, the man himself had cornered each of the Weasley children and Hermione and told them, ordered them in Ginny's opinion, that they were not, under any circumstances, to owl Harry more than a "hello, I'm fine". It was obvious from Harry's first response, the day after they arrived at Headquarters, that being kept in the dark was only going to piss him off. While the others were fretting over Harry's well being ("He must be feeling awful after watching Cedric die" "Maybe its best he doesn't know") Ginny snuck away with Hedwig and wrote Harry a rather detailed letter informing him that Dumbledore was being a controlling old coot and that she would do everything she could to keep him informed.

She'd been hurt when Hedwig had returned with letters for Ron and Hermione, both containing several choice words on the apparent weakness of their friendship, but nothing for her. It wasn't until she went to bed that evening that she found the letter sitting on her bedside table. There was nothing but her name written on the front of the envelope but it was enough for her to recognize Harry's writing. Her ridiculous crush had been good for something.

_Ginny,_

_First things first, hey, how are you? Cleaning is very boring but it's a great way to think about things while looking busy. Thank you for letting me know what's going on as best you could, Ron and Hermione have been really vague. I think they're trying to allude to bigger things but its not working; they're really bad at it. Glad to know that Sirius has some company, though I'm not sure you should leave him and the twins unsupervised they've been waiting years to get a hold of a real life Marauder. _

_Do you know what's weird? Weirder than you writing to me? I am glad you've gotten over that being shy thing by the way. I'm actually glad I'm stuck at the Dursley's. And I know what you're thinking; you're thinking that my grief over Cedric's death and Voldemort returning has addled my brain. But you're wrong. What's addled my brain and thrown me completely off balance is, in actual fact, a five foot seven blonde who won't leave me alone. I swear, she followed me everywhere for two days before I finally gave in and gave her what she wanted. Don't worry; I'm safe from her, I think. _

_Anyway, this blonde, I'm not telling you her name because then she'll think she's won (she's reading over my shoulder and making snappy comments about me being unreasonable because I stole her chocolate) which she hasn't. Well she has a little, when I finally agreed to do what she wanted she dragged me to London and bought me clothes. I am now the proud owner of clothes that actually fit. But that's not the point the point is that while you're stuck cleaning I'm at Privet Drive learning everything I can to prepare for Voldemort. Bet you won't even recognize me. My letters might be a bit odd, where I am time seems to run a bit differently._

_Blondie rigged this envelope to transport letters directly between us. Just put the new letter in the envelope and tap it with your wand. Don't worry about the flames, I'll get your letter and can send them to you the same way. Just don't move the envelope form you room._

_Keep me updated and I'll tell you what I can about Blondie's boot camp._

_Harry_

_P.S. Try to get your own room. You're going to need it._

Since that very first letter, she and Harry had exchanged letters every evening, all three of them. She couldn't help noticing how much more Harry's letters contained. He seemed to be doing so much in so little time. No matter, she still had a far greater idea of what Harry was really up to than any of the Order members or his best friends. It was kind of satisfying.

She was staring off in to space wondering abut desert and what to say to Harry in her letter later when Snape started screaming. He didn't normally have dinner at Headquarters but he'd arrived early for the next Order meeting and her mother had bullied him in to some food. He sat at the opposite end of the table from Sirius with Professor McGonagall, constantly scowling at everyone. His screaming took everyone by surprise and they all leapt to their feet, wands drawn. Snape clutched his arm tightly and clenched his jaw trying to hold back his shouts. His eyes were watering and they were wide with fear of the unknown.

He slumped forward onto the table unconscious and everyone just stared at him in shock.

It wasn't until the following morning that she got the chance to send Harry a letter telling him all about Snape's sudden torture. He seemed to think his three word response explained everything.

_I had sex._

And maybe it did.


	12. Chapter 9

**a/n: **first off, i'm doing a celebratory jig for making 100 reviews for which i must thank you. secondly i'd like to point out that this story has a mind of its own and what was originally supposed to be mostly a Harry/ginny fic has become something else entirely. for the better i think but still. please review so i know what you're thinking, even if its just a ramble, i like those as you can probably tell. right. on with the story....

**Chapter 9: If I Killed You…**

'…she's so young…'

'…would love to…'

'…only twenty…'

'…heard…Auror…'

'…Professor Martin…'

Harry chomped on a piece of bacon listening to the conversations around him with only detached amusement. Ordinarily he would find it hilarious the rumors being spread around about his, his, well he supposed girlfriend was a good enough term. Only she wasn't Ally Martin: girlfriend, she was Ally Martin: DADA professor. He was going to kill her when he finally managed to corner her. Harry greeted Ron and Hermione with a very fake smile when they joined him for breakfast. Ginny, seated across from him, started sniggering into her porridge, having slept on it she now found the whole thing rather funny. Harry gave her a dark look but was interrupted by McGonagall handing out timetables and consequently blocking his view of Ginny with his.

'Oooh,' Hermione said excitedly. 'We've got DADA today.'

'Fantastic,' Harry muttered darkly. That was all he needed, an hour with Ally without being able to grill her for lying to him.

Hedwig interrupted his dark muttering by arriving with the other post owls. This surprised Hermione greatly, Hedwig had not made an appearance until their very last day at Grimmauld Place and as far as she knew everyone Harry could be talking to was at Hogwarts. She didn't say anything as Harry was glaring at the parchment tied to Hedwig's leg as if hoping it would burst into flames. She really hoped his dark mood lifted before class started. Harry tried not to take out his displeasure on Hedwig; instead he gave her the rest of his bacon and removed the letter.

_H-_

_Sorry. I love you. Don't be mad._

_-A_

He tried to stay angry but the innocent note did exactly what it was supposed to and calmed his mood greatly. With a heavy sigh he shot a quick glance up at the staff table and locked eyes with Ally. He rolled his eyes and she smiled brightly back. They would still be talking but Harry knew that he wouldn't be nearly as angry during their talk as he would have been without her little note.

'Anything good?' Ron asked with a mouth full of toast, earning himself a reproachful glare from Hermione.

Harry smiled despite himself. One day, he promised himself, he would learn to hold a grudge against her. 'Very good,' he told Ron but offered no explanation. He slipped the note into his pocket and actually looked at his timetable. As he did he couldn't help wondering why, just why, they always ended up sharing potions with the Slytherin's.

His classes that morning were eye opening for more than just his teachers. Hermione spent most of the morning with her mouth hanging open. Each task he was given, first in Transfiguration and then in Charms, he completed perfectly on the first try. His teachers were baffled though they were quite happy with his sudden ease at his tasks. Hermione was not happy at all, she was furious. Every time she tried something Harry was finished before she was and his was much better. She was so frustrated that by the end of Charms her work had become sloppy and she was making simple mistakes.

McGonagall began her Transfiguration class by giving them a stern talking to about the importance of OWLs. Much of what she said was things she had said the year before when questioned about the sudden increase in their homework load. Though this time she did go into far more detail as to the kinds of things they would be expected to know when it came time for their exams. Once her lecture wound down she set them about revising everything they had learnt in the last four years. She told them it would be an excellent way for them to learn what areas they needed to study for the upcoming year and which topics would need extra special revision.

McGonagall passed around a variety of objects to each student and gave them a sheet of transformations to conduct. Hermione eagerly took the objects and sheet she was given, happy to prove how much knowledge she had retained. It didn't take much for her to look better than the others; most students seemed to have forgotten the basics over summer and were having to quickly drag out the old knowledge from whatever dank and dark place of their brains it had gotten lost in.

Harry had no trouble at all. In under two minutes he had all of his work done and was sitting back to observe the chaos around him. It didn't take long for McGonagall to notice his lack of participation and swoop down on him.

'Mister Potter, is there a reason you are not working like the other students?'

'Yep,' Harry assured her. 'I'm finished.'

McGonagall blinked and then looked down at his desk. Her eyes shot back to him and narrowed sharply. With a wave of her wand she returned each object to their original condition and asked him to perform the spells again. They were both the focus of the entire class by this point and while the old Harry would have floundered under such a public eye the new Harry had no problem performing the right spells and wand movements.

McGonagall seemed at a loss for words. While Harry had managed to grasp transfiguration in the past he had never shown the kind of commitment to his lessons that would have enabled such perfect transformations on the first go. McGonagall was more shocked than she should have been after the things she'd heard from Sirius and the elder Weasley's.

'Very good, Potter.'

Charms went much the same; Professor Flitwick was delighted by Harry's work and offered ten points for grasping the new concepts so quickly. Hermione was far from happy and Ron felt he was starting to look bad and vowed to at least practice the spells once after initially learning them.

At lunch Ron looked like he wanted to run and hide from Hermione as she seemed to be about one more spell from erupting like a volcano. He stuck it out only because he wanted to know where Harry's new talent came from. Hermione waited until Harry's mouth was full before she began her tirade. Harry couldn't do anything but listen to her rant and fire a million questions at him.

'Have you just been faking this whole time?' she demanded when she was done.

Harry swallowed his food and gave Hermione a rather disappointed look. 'Hermione,' Harry said calmly. 'I have three words for you: Voldemort is back. I spent the first five weeks of my summer knowing that if I were to have any chance of surviving, of beating Voldemort, then I needed to know more. I revised everything from first year up, read all our textbooks again to prepare for Voldemort's return.'

Hermione looked ashamed; it never occurred to her that there was an honest and good reason behind Harry's sudden improvement, she thought he'd cheated. He was right; of course, with Voldemort back they needed to work very hard to survive whatever he threw at them.

'I'm sorry, Harry,' Hermione whispered. 'I-I didn't think.'

Harry didn't even feel a little guilty about the half truth. It was true that he had gone over the old material but that was mostly just out of boredom. All his real talent came from having a teacher who gave excellent rewards for success. Harry was lost in thoughts about the reward he'd got for mastering the NEWT material when Ginny came up behind him and grabbed him by the ear.

'Ouch!' Harry yelped. 'What the hell, Gin?'

Ginny yanked his head toward her and hissed in his ear. 'You are so dead.' She calmly released his ear and took the empty spot beside him. 'Don't be such a _baby_.'

It was then that Harry knew he was in trouble. Big trouble. It was lucky Ginny was running so late for lunch he was able to escape with Ron and Hermione for DADA before she really got worked up and dragged him from the table. Hermione was bouncing all the way to class. Babbling about what she'd overheard in the girls bathroom before lunch about how awesome Professor Martin was. Ron kept making comments about how good looking she was and how young. Harry smirked the whole way, not saying anything.

The classroom was empty when they arrived and Hermione forced them to take seats at the front, not that Harry was complaining. If he was sitting at the front he would have more opportunity to glare. She took out the textbook, quill and parchment and bounced excitedly in her seat. Harry couldn't be sure what exactly it was that was making Hermione so excited. Surely it couldn't just be the fact that they had a competent professor for their OWL year? Everyone else was seated before Ally arrived. When she did Harry wanted to bang his head against the table. No wonder Ginny wanted to kill him. Gone was the loose fitting shirt of the night before and in its place she was wearing a relatively snug t-shirt.

Most people's mouths fell open in shock and Hermione gasped. Harry wondered if he'd done something bad in a past life to deserve this torture.

'But you're pregnant!'

Ally smiled brightly and turned sideways poking out her belly to emphasize the curve of her stomach. 'That I am, Hermione,' she agreed with a smile and a wink that made Harry want to sink in to the floor. 'Five months and loving every minute that I'm dosed up on Madam Pomphrey's morning sickness cure.'

'Oh,' Hermione muttered looking slightly embarrassed. 'Sorry, I'm just surprised.'

Ally nodded. 'Well I figured with Voldemort back you could use a good teacher even if I am pregnant.'

'You believe everything Potter and Dumbledore are saying?' Seamus asked incredulously. Every eyes in the room was on her as she paced back and forth in front of her desk.

Ally paused to eye him up and down. 'I'm not sure about Dumbledore, he _is_ a bit mad,' Ally answered evenly. 'But Harry,' she looked at him and smiled. 'I can't say I believe everything he says, he'd lie to me right now if I asked if he thought I looked fat-'

Harry snorted. 'I don't have a death wish, do I?'

'-but about Voldemort? Yes, I believe him.'

'Why?' Parvati inquired. 'There's no evidence!'

'Honestly? Cause he's so darn cute.' She patted his cheek sarcastically as she walked passed and he glared at her.

'I hate you!' he hissed just loud enough for her to hear.

She ignored him and continued on as though she hadn't even seen him.

'Seriously, I believe him because I'm not stupid. I saw what the last war did to people-'

'How could you see that?' Dean interrupted. 'You were so young!'

'I'm older than I look,' Ally answered. Harry snorted and returned her look when she shot him a withering glare. 'As much as I wish it were possible I don't think one little rebounded killing curse could kill him.'

She let that sink in and then clapped her hands together. 'Right then, if you're out of questions let's start working on some defense.'


	13. Chapter 10

**a/n: **this chapter is dedictaed to all of my anonymous reviewers, especially vampchicksam, for their great reviews. also for those of you buggin about the chapter length (and i don't blame you) this one is much longer and i intend this to be my new trend. thank you to everyone who left reviews and now on with the show.

**Chapter 10: A Lesson with Ally**

'Okay people,' Ally said. 'Things away and line up against the back wall.'

The students hurried to do as instructed and once they all had their backs against the wall she waved her hand and the tables and chairs moved to the sides, leaving a large space free in the middle of the room. She told them to move into the middle of the room and line up facing her with an arms length of space between them.

'Right then, robes off!'

While Harry tugged his school robes over his head the others looked confused, some shifted uncomfortably. They looked from Ally to their friends unsure what to do. Ally sighed patiently.

'How many of you didn't think to get completely dressed this morning?'

A handful of people raised their hands; unsurprisingly Ron was one of them.

'That was your first mistake. Can anyone tell me why?'

'Because we'll be standing here half naked?' Ron suggested.

Before Ally could tell Ron he was wrong Harry answered. 'Because fighting in robes is a stupid inconvenience that the wizarding world hasn't outgrown.'

'Yep!' Ally agreed. 'You'll find it very hard to do this,' Ally made to move and then thought better of it. 'Well I didn't think that through,' she muttered, her pregnant belly not really allowing her to pull off what she had been planning to demonstrate. 'What I'm saying is you'll find it very difficult to move quickly and effectively with a robe billowing around your legs.'

'Oh,' Hermione breathed, Harry could tell by the look on her face that she was seeing the validity in Ally's words and thinking about the uniforms muggle soldiers wore.

'There are three things you need to do to be prepared to defend yourself against attack. The first is to dress appropriately; your clothes need to be close fitting with enough flexibility to move freely. The second is to have your wand easily reachable. Lavender where is your wand?'

'In my pocket,' she answered nervously.

'Can you get to it quickly?'

'I think so.'

'Then do it, quick as you can.'

Lavender's hand dove into her robes and she pulled out her wand, slower than she would have liked as the length of it was difficult to negotiate out of her pocket. Ally shook her head.

'Too slow, a Death Eater has just killed you. Hermione, where is you wand?'

'In my bag,' she admitted sheepishly.

'You're deader than dead,' Ally informed her. 'Five points from Gryffindor for being unprepared. 'Harry,' Ally turned her attention to him. 'Where is your wand?'

'In my hand,' he answered.

Everyone turned to gape at him while Ally just smiled. 'Five points for being prepared. Tell me Harry, how did you get it into your hand so quickly?'

Harry held up his arm for the others to see, Ally knew perfectly well how he'd done it, she'd taught him the trick after all. Strapped to his right forearm was a leather wand holster like the Aurors used.

'One flick of my wrist and it's in my hand.'

Hermione was a little disgruntled but Ally was moving on. 'You don't need anything as fancy as Harry's holster but you need to have it somewhere you know you can get it quickly. The third thing you need to remember to be prepared for an attack is that ninety percent of the time you'll be outnumbered and outclassed. Don't act rashly and escape as soon as possible. Now, we're all adults here, unless you in your underwear robes off.'

Grumbling unhappily the rest of the class pulled off their robes. Most of the girls were dressed under their robes, though a little less conservatively than they ordinarily would have because of the warmth of their robes. Ron was not the only one still wearing his pajamas underneath. Ally tsked disappointedly.

'Next class you will be dressed appropriately for physical activity and will leave your robes behind. Understood?' Everyone nodded. 'Good, now lets talk disarming spells.'

The class was split into pairs to practice disarming each other. They were odd in number and, after proving far more prepared than anyone else, no one was willing to pair up with Harry. Ally had him demonstrate his skill at disarming and then he got to sit out while the others practiced. Though most were capable of the spell they were slower and tended to give their opponent time to get their spell in first. They sat side by side on the edge of Ally's desk not speaking a word to each other as they watched the rest of the class practice. The longer he sat there the more Harry began to feel his control on his emotions slipping.

He was sitting so close to her, closer than he had been in weeks and while a part of him, a very large part of him, wanted to slam her down on the desk and do some very creative things another part, even if it was relatively small in comparison, was seething over the fact that she hadn't once in the weeks leading up to the new school term thought to tell him about her new position as Hogwarts' new DADA professor. He could feel her eyes on him but he couldn't make himself turn and meet her gaze. As long as he didn't look her in the eye he could keep a hold on the anger he had a right to feel.

After twenty minutes of practice disarming Ally moved all of the furniture back to its original position and motioned the class to have a seat. Meeting her eyes for the first time Harry felt his resolve immediately weaken. He offered her a sarcastic smile and took his seat between Ron and Hermione. This unfortunately put him directly in front of Ally where she was still seated on the edge of her desk. He hoped no one noticed the staring contest they were locked in. A nervous cough by Neville, who was actually completely oblivious to the tension, was what had Ally tearing her eyes away from Harry's and jumping to her feet so she could pace while addressing the class.

'This year is going to be different,' she informed them. 'It is going to be hard. It is going to be tiring, most days you will leave this room exhausted. But you will finish this year with a better understanding of defensive and offensive magic.' She paused in front of Hermione and raised her brow, Hermione snapped her mouth closed. 'Over the next month you will learn every spell, every jinx, hex and curse, that any other student entering their fifth year should.'

She stopped pacing and faced the class, taking time to lock eyes briefly with every student. Most of them shrank back under the sudden intensity of her gaze. Harry childishly poked his tongue out before he could stop himself. Hermione kicked him sharply under the table.

'Previously, perhaps with the exception of Remus Lupin, you have had some of the worst instructors ever to come out of this school. As such you are the most under prepared group of fifteen year olds I have ever met. I plan to fix this. In one month.'

Having said what she needed to say, and in such a way that she knew Harry would be laughing his ass of about later when they were alone, Ally sat back on her desk and waited for the questions she knew were coming. It took a little longer than she had hoped as it turned out the students were far easier to intimidate than she'd anticipated. Well that or they were simple speechless with awe. Finally, unable to take it anymore, and practically bouncing out of her seat with excitement, Hermione blurted out the first question.

'How do you plan to teach us everything we, as fifth years, should know in just one month?'

Ally smiled and would freely admit that it was not a nice smile. Rather it was the smile of someone who was both very good at getting what they want and leaving no pretenses that it was ever painless. It was a smile that had previously, okay once before, scared a wizard selling magical items illegally to muggles to hand himself over to Magical Law Enforcement rather than find out exactly what it meant. Ally clicked her fingers and writing appeared on the blackboard behind her. It was a series of instructions, a study schedule.

'Copy this down. This,' she gestured to the schedule behind her, 'is your bible for the next four weeks. There are forty chapters in your textbook; the first five contain everything you should know by the end of your first year. You will read those five chapters, practice or revise the spells in those chapters and present your own personal notes on them next Monday at the beginning of the lesson. For the next month our lessons will be based solely on getting you physically fit and capable of defending yourself. Spells will be learned on your own time.'

Several people opened their mouths to object and then thought better of it. They were hoping that this sudden switch in personality was due to pregnancy hormones making her crazy and not what they could expect for the rest of the year. They were of course, sadly mistaken. Harry felt a little sorry for them, at least when Ally had taken this no nonsense attitude toward his lessons they had generally been followed shortly after by a snappy comment, some rather lewd innuendo or a smack to the back of his head if she was feeling particularly peeved.

'Next week you will read the five chapters for second years and so on until you have learned everything you need. After that, well, we'll have some fun.'

Ally winked at them and they all stared back at her open mouthed. After some silent time spent reflecting and dissecting everything Ally had just said Hermione raised her hand shakily. She was equal amounts impressed and terrified of Ally.

'What happens if we have questions about the material? Will there be question time at the beginning of each lesson for us to ask about the things we are revising outside of class? And will we be tested on what we have learnt?'

Ally smiled a genuine smile and the class visibly relaxed. 'My office door is always-' Harry coughed. '-mostly open. Any questions you have you can come and see more outside of class. The rest of this year will progress normally and at a slower pace but for now it is important that you be up to a normal standard for students your age. And as for being tested? The notes you turn in to me will be entirely up to you, I expect you to make note of techniques you use to practice, questions you ask and the answers you get. I want you to write down things like "took thirteen bloody tries to get this bastard", that is how I will know you did the work. You will not be properly tested until you have caught up to a fifth year level and then, well I have some ideas.'

The class audibly gulped.

'Homework!' Ally announced brightly. 'Consider your wardrobe and work on grabbing your wand quickly. I want you to come in next lesson and be able to retrieve your wand without giving your opponent time to kill you six different ways. Now shoo, I want a word with Mr. Potter.'

The class gathered their things and left, talking excitedly about the lesson despite the fact that they hadn't learnt any new spells and their new teacher was coming off just as scary and psychotic as the fake Mad-Eye Moody. Ron and Hermione looked like they wanted to stay but Harry told them he would catch up to them later. Once the room was empty and silence had descended Ally closed and warded the door.

'How'd I do?'

'How'd you do?' Harry asked incredulously. 'What the hell are you doing here, Ally?'

'You needed a DADA professor and you know we need to be close.'

'You lied to me, you said Hogsmeade! This isn't Hogsmeade.'

Ally walked right up to him and pushed him backward until he thumped into her desk. She pushed him down until he was seated and moved to stand between his legs, her hands gripping the front of his shirt.

'That's not close enough,' she informed him, kissing his chin lightly.

'And right under Dumbledore's nose is better?' Harry muttered as she moved her kisses along his jaw. 'Merlin Als, the man already thinks I'm acting strange what the hell made you think it would be a good idea to put everything we've been doing at stake for closer proximity?

'You're not really angry,' she told him. 'We haven't seen each other in weeks.'

She kissed the corner of his mouth and then his lips. 'Too long,' Harry agreed, capturing her lips in a deep kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and tugged her as close as he could. 'I'm still mad,' he said when they broke for air.

'Uh huh,' Ally agreed, kissing him before he could say more. 'We're not putting anything at stake.' She nibbled on his bottom lip. 'Dumbledore won't get in our way.'

They kissed for a long time before Ally broke away giggling. Harry raised an eyebrow at her and in reply she grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach.

'She's kicking.' Harry smiled and bent down to place a kiss on her belly. 'I think she missed you.'

'Ginny wants to kill me,' Harry remembered suddenly, he'd been so busy trying to pretend that he didn't know Ally that he had forgotten entirely about Ginny's threat. Kissing his, whatever she was, after not seeing her for so long seemed much more important than Ginny's empty threats. Even if he was technically still sort of mad at Ally.

'You didn't tell her,' Ally reminded him.

'I thought she'd have more time to get used to the idea when I finally did tell her. How was I supposed to know you would be here? You didn't tell me,' he reminded her.

'I'm sorry.'

Harry sighed and kissed her nose. 'I know and I'm not really mad,' the corners of Ally's mouth twitched. 'Okay not _that_ mad I just wish you'd told me.'

'I know.'

'I should go.'

'Stay,' Ally asked, kissing him again in hopes he would be distracted.

'I can't.'

'My room tonight?'

Harry kissed her quickly one last time before pushing her back a step and slipping off the desk. 'I'll be there.'

'I love you.'

'I love you too, Als.'


	14. Chapter 11

**a/n: **this chapter addresses something that began to bug me almost immediately after coming up with the phoenix blood concept. i wasn't intending for it to slip in here but i decided that arguments are rarely consistent when they're off the top of your head, they often take strange turns. anyway, thank youo to all of my readers and my reviewers! let me know what you think.

**Chapter 11: Talks with Ginny and a Curious Hermione**

Harry didn't realize just how long he and Ally were locked up in her classroom snogging until he checked his watch to figure out where Ron and Hermione would be. He hurried to the Great Hall and slid into the empty seat beside Hermione just in time for dinner. Ginny smirked at him knowingly which then turned into a glare. He chose to ignore her, instead concentrating on Ron and Hermione's conversation.

'Well I think it was a fantastic lesson,' Hermione said primly. 'It's not my fault you didn't get dressed this morning.'

'How was I supposed to know we'd be taking our robes off?'

'Harry managed to get dressed,' Hermione reminded him.

Harry rolled his eyes, this time he hadn't even had to say anything to get dragged into one of their arguments. He tried to ignore them as best he could but then Hermione addressed him directly and he knew she would just get pushier if he didn't answer.

'What did Professor Martin want, Harry?'

Harry very nearly asked who Hermione was talking about, there was something just plain wrong about thinking of his girlfriend as a professor. 'We just talked about the things I've studied and she tested me on some stuff,' he lied easily.

'You know,' Hermione said thoughtfully. 'It will be interesting to see what kinds of things she teaches us. I really like her take on being prepared for an attack, especially what she said about dressing appropriately.'

Harry nodded in agreement, pictures of Voldemort tripping over his robes in a fight making him smile. Ron didn't look as happy but that was mostly because he was still suffering the embarrassment of attending class in his pajamas.

'I can't believe she's pregnant!' Ron muttered. 'Do you think Dumbledore knew?'

'Of course Dumbledore knew, Ron,' Hermione frowned. 'She would have had to tell him when she went for the job. If she wasn't honest then she wouldn't even be here. Do you think she'll continue teacher after the baby is born? I wonder when she's due.'

'December 10,' Harry answered easily. 'And she is, she's got a house elf that will take care of the baby while she teaches.'

Ron looked at him funny and Hermione raised her eyebrows. 'What? I asked,' he said defensively.

'Its funny,' Hermione said quite suddenly, looking directly at Harry. 'Did you notice she has a tattoo?'

'Who has a tattoo?' Harry frowned; he wasn't paying as much attention to the conversation as he could have been because Ginny had just caught his eye and rather viciously bit the end off a pork chop. She may have been further down the table sitting with her other friends but Harry got the distinct feeling she was imagining he was the pork chop.

'Professor Martin,' Hermione answered, not taking her eyes off of Harry. 'She has a tattoo just like yours in the same place as yours and it was moving like yours started doing yesterday.'

'Really?' Harry asked vaguely, he'd just caught Fred and George giving him a knowing look out of the corner of his eye. What was with people and giving him funny looks? What it was they thought they knew was beyond him. He made a mental note to make his investment in their joke shop official, maybe see if any of the properties he or Ally owned would make for a good joke shop.

'Harry? Harry!'

Harry's focus snapped back to Hermione and he frowned at her. He really needed to start paying more attention to his bossy friend. 'Sorry?'

'Honestly, Harry!' Hermione scolded. 'I was asking you where you got your tattoo, you've never really said.'

Harry held up his wrist and studied the flaming design thoughtfully. The gentle movement made by Ally's proximity made it seem like flames were licking at his wrist. 'Oh, just this place in muggle London, I had a spell put on it later to make it move.'

Hermione scrutinized him closely for a few moments and then seemed to decide he was telling the truth, a good thing as he was lying through his teeth. But then how do you tell your friend, who has no idea what you were really up to over the summer, that the reason you and your DADA professor have matching tattoo's is because the first time you had sex you cemented you're relationship and one of the unforeseen side effects was the mark of the Phoenix that reacted to each other? Harry shook his head; there was no way he was telling Hermione that. It was bad enough Ginny knew, she'd laughed for a full ten minutes when she'd gotten all the details.

'Why'd you get it mate?'

'Seemed like a good idea at the time.'

Ron began to wonder aloud about the prospect of getting a tattoo, he'd just asked Hermione whether she thought a dragon or a Gryffindor lion was a better idea when Ginny appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and grabbed Harry by the ear once more.

'You'd look stupid with a tattoo, Ron,' she snapped and then promptly dragged Harry from the table and out of the Great Hall by his ear. She practically threw him inside the first empty classroom she found. She shut the door, locked it and rounded on Harry. Before she could say anything he held up a hand to stop her and waved his wand at the door, casting several spells that would ensure they remained uninterrupted and that no one could overhear them. When he was done he waved at her to go on. It only made her madder.

'How could you not tell me that your girlfriend is pregnant?' Ginny demanded. 'I thought we were best friends but you hid something like this from me! How could you do that? Do you not trust me?'

'Ginny I trust you more than anyone in the world-'

'-Except Ally.'

'Except Ally,' Harry agreed. 'I just…' Harry trailed off not sure how to put in to words exactly what he was thinking and feeling. Rather than yelling Ginny gave him the time he needed to think. 'There were a few things I left out before,' Harry told her slowly, unsure of how she would react to the news that there was more she didn't know. 'Ally and I worked for months together in the trunk before I made a move-'

'You made the first move?' Harry wasn't sure but he thought Ginny sounded a little skeptical. He probably should have been offended. He chose to ignore her. Ginny liked to take every moment she could to mock him for that.

'The first time we had sex was on her birthday about four months after we started, uh, training in the trunk, I told you all about it. What we weren't anticipating was the effects of that moment.'

'The baby?' Ginny guessed, glaring angrily at him. Harry sighed, Ginny was so angry she seemed to have forgotten half the stuff he told her.

Harry shook his head with a laugh. 'We were in there for nearly two years Gin, your math is a little off. No, what happened was a lot more complicated than that. We caused a major magical explosion that nearly killed Voldemort and cemented our relationship.'

'That thing with Snape and the others?'

Harry nodded.

'That was because you and Ally had sex for the first time?'

Harry nodded once more, thinking carefully over how to word what he had to say next. He'd told Ginny all about his nervousness regarding just about every part of his relationship with Ally. He'd told her, afterwards of course when he too was perfectly capable of laughing at his own stupidity. Ginny knew all about their first kiss, their first everything, she'd asked for all the details but she had never gotten all the details on the final deed. Just enough to laugh for ten minutes straight.

'We weren't anticipating the amount of raw power something like that would generate between us. Or the fact that we nearly burnt the bed down around us. Our bedrooms are always extensively warded now; we have to charm our sheets to be fireproof.'

Ginny snorted, she knew that Harry's emotions sometimes caused him to start smoking but the idea that he and Ally had nearly burnt down their bed because they were so wrapped up in sex was funny.

'This doesn't change the fact that you didn't tell me, it also doesn't explain anything.'

Harry almost growled. 'Look Ginny, I'm trying to explain to you just how important that night was, for more than the obvious reasons.'

It was then that something Harry had said earlier sank in; she didn't think he'd been referring to some silly belief that sex really changed things that much, especially at such a young age.

'What do you mean cemented?'

Harry smirked. 'Phoenixes mate for life.'

'Oh.' Ginny eyes widened and her mouth fell open. 'Oh!'

And then she started laughing. This wasn't the same kind of laughing she'd done when she'd heard about all the bumps in Harry's road to intimacy with Ally. This was an almost hysterical laugh and she was crying. Once the laughter subsided Ginny stood crying with a smile on her face.

'That's so romantic.'

Harry chose to ignore that, he'd heard Ginny saying numerous times how sweet and romantic it was how Ally spent nearly three hundred years "waiting" for him. It was something of amusement to him that tough little Ginny Weasley could still have such a fairy tale view of something like his love life after what happened in her second year. Harry held up his left arm to show her the tattoo Hermione had just been questioning.

'That's when we got these. They stay still when we're apart but when we're together they move like real flames. We can feel each other, like warmth spreading through our bodies and we can always find each other. We're magically bonded, Ginny, we're essentially married.'

Ginny slumped onto the desk behind her and took a deep breath as she tried to process everything Harry was telling her and stop her tears. She'd known from the start that Harry and Ally were different, sharing the blood of a Phoenix had changed them, but she'd never realized just how much the Phoenix influenced them. They were bonded. Married. Tied together for the rest of their lives by a magical bond that no one else had a chance of truly comprehending. For them, the rest of their lives were a lot longer than most people would experience. It was endlessly depressing in a terribly romantic sort of way. Whatever might have remained of her old crush faded away.

'That still doesn't explain why you didn't just tell me Ally was pregnant.'

'I thought I'd have more time, that I'd be able to break it to you slowly. I was hoping you could meet her and we could tell you together,' Harry admitted. 'I know she'd love to tell you how many hints she had to drop before I kissed her. I know you'd love to get the whole story from her perspective. I just wasn't ready, Ginny.'

'Harry,' Ginny started but Harry shook his head cutting her off.

'It hasn't even been three months, Ginny, and I know it seemed like more for me but it's still so hard to wrap my head around. For years the only family I've ever had was the Dursley's and then when I got to Hogwarts I met Ron and Hermione. I've always just been this scrawny little kid with a scar on his head, famous for something I don't remember. And that was okay because it never really touched me. It became my life; I adjusted to being famous to having people who cared about me even if I had to go back to the Dursley's every summer. And then last June happened.'

'Voldemort.'

'Yes, Voldemort but also Cedric, I was a mess Gin. Just when I was getting used to being happy, when life was getting better it all changed. Cedric died so Voldemort could return. And then-'

'What?' Ginny interrupted sharply. 'What do you mean Cedric died so Voldemort could return? I thought you said Wormtail killed him right off.'

Harry slumped down on an empty desk looking defeated, much older than he should.

'I lied,' he told her after a very heavy silence. The last of Ginny's anger vanished at the look of remorse and guilt on Harry's face.

'Why?'

Harry's eyes took on the haunted quality they always got when he talked about that night. Gone was the happy look of someone taking pride in his family, the family he created.

'They couldn't use my blood,' he explained quietly. 'It was screaming in my head, this knowledge that no matter what happened they couldn't use my blood. Cedric was there, tied up next to me and he was nice and he was normal, everything the spell needed and I wasn't. They tried to use me, Wormtail cut my arm with the knife but my blood just, Merlin, it just melted the knife like acid, the thing that Voldemort was didn't see any of it but Wormtail knew. So he used Cedric. It was the first time any of my Phoenix traits showed but I was too scared, to confused to really take in what was happening. I passed it off as something to do with the protection my mother died to give me.

'Cedric, Cedric couldn't handle it. The spell called for the blood of an enemy and Cedric's wasn't strong enough to satisfy the stronger requirements Voldemort built into the spell. Wormtail tried to angle me over the cauldron when he realized Cedric's blood wasn't enough but I burnt through the ropes and managed to break free. I couldn't leave couldn't run, Wormtail stunned me and conjured heavy chains to hold me. We both knew what was coming, me and Cedric, and he just, he just looked at me like he was hoping I could do something, and he was bleeding into the cauldron and I knew. You can't kill something that doesn't exist. I couldn't move and then Wormtail stabbed Cedric in the neck.

'I told everyone he died quickly, didn't feel a thing, that he was happy over winning the tournament. It was what they needed, his parents didn't need to know that their son died bringing Voldemort back to life, that their son wasn't strong enough for Voldemort's purpose. I could have survived Ginny, one splash of my blood would have been enough but I couldn't allow Voldemort to exist with Phoenix blood in his veins.'

'Does Voldemort know?' Ginny whispered. She had never heard the full story of that night, only the altered version everyone else had gotten. She felt that a little of Hermione's worry was justified.

'No, his knowing serves no purpose. For now there are only four people who know the truth.'

'Does it make him weaker, having Cedric's blood?'

Harry nodded and then he seemed to shake himself out of the darker mood. 'Voldemort's not as strong as he thinks, and that half-blood murderer is going to die.'

Ginny smiled slightly, understanding the conversation was over. She moved forward to hug Harry. 'Congratulations Harry, you're going to be a great dad.'

'Thanks, Gin.' Harry released her and took a step back. 'Would you like to come meet my mate Ginny?'

'Absolutely.'

They didn't talk about what she had just learned, there was no need. It hurt to talk about and he still had the occasional nightmare but it was in the past, he had worked passed it. Ginny didn't need to hear more. She watched Harry take down his wards around the door and then she followed him, the closer he got to Ally the truer his smile became. No matter what Hermione kept insisting, Ginny knew Harry was going to be just fine.


	15. Chapter 12

**a/n: **thanks to all of my wonderfull reviewers, you're so cool. This chapter is completely void of Harry but it does have some good Ron/Ginny bonding. Next chapter is the third part of the summer. enjoy and review (please!).

**Chapter 12: Where the heck is Harry?**

'This is getting ridiculous!' Hermione huffed, throwing herself into a chair in a corner of the Gryffindor common room. 'What do you think he's up to?'

Ron shrugged; he wasn't nearly as frustrated as Hermione by Harry's regular disappearances, mostly because he'd been doing his fair share of disappearing. As far as he was concerned as long as Harry was too busy to notice he was secretly practicing for the Quiditch tryouts then everything was okay. Hermione didn't share this simple view; she was determined to discover where Harry snuck off to. Despite what Ron said she knew Harry had been sneaking out at night, she was sure it was Harry she'd seen sneaking out of the common room the night before beneath his invisibility cloak right before curfew. It hadn't occurred to her, for even a second, that Harry could have lent his cloak to someone else. Or that the figure she swore was Harry was actually Ron sneaking passed a frustrated Hermione so he could drop by the kitchens without a lecture.

Tonight Harry had disappeared shortly after dinner and though Hermione had tried her best to follow him he knew far more about the secret passageways and short cuts of Hogwarts than she did. The fact that he had intentionally ditched her irked her. She looked around the common room searching futilely for the answers to her many questions. They didn't jump out at her so she resorted to cataloguing her questions out loud to Ron. He did his best to ignore her and concentrate on the Quidditch magazine he was reading but Hermione's voice, at times like this, was like a jackhammer, chipping away at the wall Ron tried to hide behind.

'I just want to know what really happened to him over the summer,' she grumped. 'When he left at the beginning of the summer he was brooding terribly and he was really angry. What happened to him at the Dursley's?'

Though he knew the question was rhetorical Ron felt he needed to say something if only to keep Hermione from yelling at him for not paying attention. 'I don't know Hermione, does it really matter?'

'Of course it matters, Ron!' Hermione argued. 'No one goes through what Harry did and gets over it in just five weeks! Don't you remember the way he yelled at us when he first got to headquarters? How he was all distant and angry at us but was confident and happy with almost everyone else?'

'Well we didn't exactly write to him Hermione,' Ron reminded her, though the moment he spoke he knew she wasn't really listening. For all Hermione knew Ron could have actually just given her all the answers she was looking for. He was beginning to wonder why it was he put up with being ignored constantly.

'He changed so much in five weeks. For Merlin's sake Ron, he grew almost a foot!'

'He did say the Dursley's were actually feeding him,' Ron offered, though even he knew that simply feeding him properly couldn't account for all of the physical changes Harry had undergone. Still this was a magical world they lived in.

'He has a whole new wardrobe, no glasses and a mysterious ex-girlfriend that no one, not even the Order members who were watching him at the Dursley's, knew about. He's lying Ron and it's not healthy. He needs to talk about what happened last June; he can't just bottle it all up!'

'He talks to Ginny.' The moment he said it Ron knew it was a mistake. To Hermione the idea that Harry was talking to someone that wasn't either of them was just not acceptable. He had asked Harry about his new relationship with Ginny and Harry had admitted that Ginny had found a way around Dumbledore's ban on informing him. Ron could understand why Harry had gotten closer to Ginny. At first he wasn't exactly happy about it but Harry had continued to make time to spend playing chess or talking Quiditch with him. Hermione was likely to feel as though her position in Harry's life had been usurped. It wasn't like they had a lot in common outside of the fact they were both raised by muggles.

Hermione's eyes blazed and she searched the room for Ginny. The moment she found her, seated in the opposite corner of the common room reading, Hermione was out of her seat and charging across the room. Ron hurried after her, intent on saving his baby sister from his friend.

'Hello Ginny,' Hermione greeted kindly. 'What are you reading?' She tried to read the title on the cover but there wasn't one.

'Hi, Hermione. Hey, Ron.'

Ginny shut the book she was reading and rested her arms on top of it. Hermione and Ron sat down across from her and Ginny just studied them. Ron tried to warn her without saying anything or drawing Hermione's attention but Ginny chose to ignore him. She threw him a quick look that said she was perfectly capable of handling this. Having lived with Ginny for most of his life Ron was in no doubt that Ginny could handle herself; he just didn't feel she should necessarily have to handle Hermione.

'What's up Hermione?'

'Well Ginny, I'm worried about Harry.'

'Why?' Ginny questioned with a hint of exasperation. How many times were she and Hermione going to have this conversation?

'Why?' Hermione repeated hysterically.

'Why are you worried about Harry?' Ginny reiterated.

Hermione floundered, how could no one see what was so obvious to her? How could two of his best friends be so blind? How could Ginny, the one who spent the most time with Harry be so completely blind to his distress? Did she not see that he was acting out? That his spending so much time with Ginny was, in itself, a sign that not everything was okay? Hermione was determined to help Harry, find out his secrets and set everyone straight.

'How can you not be?' Hermione demanded. 'He's not acting like himself!'

'And that's a bad thing?' Ginny questioned honestly. 'The old Harry was unsure of himself, he never stood up for himself and he had no idea how to talk to people. He was unhappy.'

'That's not true!'

'Hermione, Harry has been through a lot; he's faced Voldemort four times and survived. He's been the cause of not only his parents' death but he also had to watch Cedric get killed. He found a good thing over the summer Hermione, why would you want to take that away from him?'

Ron nodded in agreement though Hermione only seemed to take this as evidence that he was falling for the same tricks as Ginny. Or that he had more information to work with. Hermione made a note to keep a closer watch on Harry and Ron's interactions.

'He's not dealing with anything this way, Ginny; he's just blocking it out and acting irrationally.'

'He's what? Harry's not acting irrationally. If anyone's acting irrationally Hermione, it's you. There's nothing wrong with Harry, he's happy. You just refuse to see it because it doesn't fit with your view of the world. Maybe, Hermione, you don't know Harry as well as you think you do.'

Hermione glared at Ginny but didn't have anything to say in response, she was too angry to articulate anything. Ron on the other hand was glad for Hermione's silence it meant he could finally speak, though he knew he was at risk of a scolding.

'Do you know where Harry is, Gin? I was hoping for a game of chess.'

Ginny glared at Hermione through narrowed eyes and then turned to her brother, her face lighting up in a genuine smile. 'Sorry, Ron, Harry's got a meeting with Professor Martin and Professor McGonagall. Can I play instead?'

'Sure, let me just get my set.' Ron smiled and took off for his room.

As soon as he was gone Hermione leaned forward eagerly. 'Why's he meeting with McGonagall and Martin?'

'That's none of your business Hermione. If Harry wanted you to know he would have told you.'

Hermione started to retort, no doubt something about being Harry's best friend and deserving to know what Harry was doing but Ron came back and started setting up his chess board for a game. Both ignored Hermione as best they could while they played, even going so far as to pretend she wasn't there. They had barely begun to play when Hermione stormed off muttering about inconsiderate Weasley's and something about irrational boys.

Half way through what was proving to be an almost challenging game for him, Ron tried to subtly ask after Harry. 'Gin?'

'Yeah, Ron?'

'Harry _is_ okay, isn't he?'

'Yes, Ron, Harry's okay.'

They were silent for a few more moves and then Ron spoke again. 'He's got a girlfriend doesn't he?'

Ginny was quiet for a long time. Harry had told her that if specifically asked she could admit at least that much. What was giving her pause was the fact that it was Ron asking and not Hermione. Had everything really changed so much that Ron was figuring things out before Hermione or had Ron always been this observant and chosen not to say anything?

'Yeah, he does.'

'Are you okay with that?' Ron asked, refusing to take his eyes off the chess board. His ears were turning slightly pink.

Ginny smiled brightly at Ron, unable to believe how sweet he was being. She would have to make a note of this moment in case it never happened again.

'I'm happy for him, Ron, I really am. She's good for him.'

'You've met her?'

'Yeah, you'd like her, she's got Harry wrapped around her finger but I think she's just a little wrapped around his as well.'

'It's the girl he met this summer isn't it? The one he said was visiting family?'

Ginny didn't say anything but in a burst of understanding Ron must have read everything he needed to know on her face. He was really starting to impress Ginny and she knew that she would be spending more time with him in the future simply because somehow, without her knowledge, her youngest brother had started to mature. It was a slow process but given his previous jealousy of Harry Ginny was already impressed.

'She wasn't really visiting family was she? You don't need to tell me Ginny, I figure you promised Harry you wouldn't say anything.'

'What makes you think it's the same girl?' Ginny asked curiously.

Ron looked thoughtful for a moment and then he got a far away look like he was remembering something.

'I asked him about her a few times, the way he spoke about her…' He shrugged. 'Maybe I'm just being stupid but the Harry that showed up at Headquarters had grown up a lot. Whoever she is, whatever she did, he needed it.'

'You know, Ron, I'm impressed.'

He grinned sheepishly. 'Don't tell Hermione I said that, sometimes with her it's easier and quieter to play dumb.'

'I can understand that.'

They didn't speak again about Harry until Ron had beaten Ginny at not just that game but the next. Ginny helped Ron pack up and then wished him goodnight. She was about to leave when Ron's voice stopped her.

'Do you think he'll ever tell me?'

Ginny smiled. 'You're being very mature about this, Ron and when Harry finally notices I can guarantee you'll know before Hermione does.'

'Thanks, Gin.'

She'd just stepped onto the girl's staircase when she turned and addressed him. 'How come you're being so mature about this? No offense but I sort of assumed you'd get all moody and jealous again.'

Ron blushed furiously and refused to meet her eyes. 'I talked to mum about it,' he admitted sheepishly.

Ginny gaped at her brother and watched a she escaped up the boy's staircase.

'The whole world has gone insane,' she muttered to the now empty common room.


	16. The Summer Part 3

**a/n:** its the summer part 3! thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers, readers and everyone who so much as glanced my way. Please read the authors note at the end because i want some help with something. enjoy!

**The Summer Part 3**

Harry threw himself sideways, landing in a crouch to avoid her knife. He leapt to his feet and launched himself at Ally, ducking her right fist and catching her in the ribs with a kick. She careened backwards, feet lifting off the floor but managed not to fall. She stumbled, trying not to lose her balance and in that moment Harry knew he had her. He spun around kicking her feet out from under her, she fell and he crouched over her, knife pressed lightly to the skin of her throat.

'Give?'

Ally nodded and he stood before offering her a hand. She took it and allowed him to pull her to her feet. While she rubbed her shoulder he retrieved her knife from its position embedded in the wall.

'Ugh,' she goaned, taking the offered knife and replacing it in her wrist sheath. 'I'm getting too old for this.'

Harry snorted; he found it very hard to believe that Ally would ever be too old for sparring. 'Somehow I doubt that.'

'Well then, I'll be too pregnant to let you wipe the floor with me.'

Harry, busy replacing his own knife, slipped, slicing a long line into his arm. He barely noticed the blood dripping onto the floor he was too busy staring at Ally with his mouth open. 'W-w-what?'

'Harry!' Ally scolded. 'You're bleeding all over the floor!'

Harry didn't hear her; he hadn't heard or seen anything since she mentioned the word "pregnant". Ally paid no attention to his vacant stare as she grabbed his arm and stripped off the sheath to get a better look at what he'd done. It didn't look that bad, all it needed was a little water and a bandage and he'd be perfectly fine by tomorrow.

'Its not that bad,' she informed him. She looked up when he didn't say anything. 'Harry?' she frowned when he didn't respond. 'Harry!'

He looked at her suddenly, eyes wide with confusion and a little panic. 'W-what?'

'I said it doesn't look that bad, it should be healed by morning.'

'Oh.' Harry looked at his arm and began to feel something like relief, what she had said had been nothing but a joke. He started to breathe again and really take a look at his arm. It didn't feel nearly as bad as it looked. 'Okay.'

Ally tugged on his arm and started dragging him to the bathroom. 'Honestly,' she muttered to herself, though Harry could actually hear her. 'He cuts himself open and doesn't make a sound but I tell him I'm pregnant and he freaks.'

Harry collided with the doorframe and added a blood nose to his suddenly growing list of concerns.

* * *

Ginny snorted, spraying orange juice across the table and subsequently spoiling Hermione's breakfast. She tried to apologize but she was too busy choking on both juice and a laugh to really get the words out.

'What's so funny, Ginny?' Sirius asked, offering Hermione a napkin. 'What are you reading?'

Ginny flipped the book she was reading closed and showed the front cover to Sirius and the others at the table. She used her index finger to mark her page. The book was actually a hand written account, almost a journal bound in brown leather. Sirius read the title aloud with raised eyebrows.

'_101 Ways to Get a Girlfriend, 65 Ways to Keep your Girlfriend and 1 Very Good Reason to Avoid the Entire Thing by Harry Potter, edited by that-blonde-girl-you-found-in-my-bed._'

'What is _that_?' Hermione gasped, mouth falling open in surprise.

'This,' Ginny answered with a laugh. 'Is what Harry's been doing to amuse himself while he's stuck at the Dursley's.'

'But what is it?'

Ginny burst out laughing and was unable to verbally respond. Instead she opened the book to the second page and handed it to Hermione. Inside there was a note scrawled to Ginny on the back of the title page.

'"Gin",' Hermione read aloud, '"Dudley took your advice and came to me for help. A and I put this together and gave it to him to study. It was hilarious. She thought you'd like a copy. Harry."'

'You gave Dudley advice?' Ron asked incredulously.

'Hold on,' Hermione interrupted before Ginny could respond. 'There's a post script: "Ginny, H excels at page 115, A."' Before Ginny could stop her Hermione flipped through the pages until she found page one hundred and fifteen. Her eyes widened and she turned a very interesting shade of red before slamming the book shut and practically throwing it at Ginny. 'Ginny!' Hermione gasped, scandalized.

'Yes?'

But Hermione couldn't say anymore. Flushed with embarrassment she quickly excused herself from the table and darted out of the kitchen.

'What's wrong with her?' Ron asked.

'Who cares about that?' Fred asked.

'Yeah,' George agreed. 'What's on page one hundred and fifteen?'

Ginny's eyes danced with laughter as she handed the twins Harry's dating guide for Dudley. They flipped through the pages and came to a stop on page one hundred and fifteen. '"Way to Keep Your Girlfriend Number 9: Let your fingers do the walking and the rubbing and the…"' Fred trailed off, looking a little flushed.

'Blimey!' George yelped snatching the book from Fred, his eyes got bigger and bigger the further he got down the page. 'You sure you should be reading this, Gin-Gin?'

'And can we print it and sell it?' Fred asked.

Sirius, who was becoming more and more curious by the second, snatched the book out of George's hands to see what all the fuss was about. By the time he was finished reading the now infamous page one hundred and fifteen he was unsure whether he should be concerned or go with his first instinct and be more than a little impressed. Sirius let out a low whistle before ensuring the twins and Ginny were still involved in publishing chatter and flipping to the front of the book to reacquaint himself with the world of dating and a good part of the female anatomy.

* * *

They'd been back in the real world for less than an hour and they were already making plans. There were so many things that had to be done and Harry wasn't sure he was going to have the time to do them what with keeping up appearances for the Dursley's and the Order. He was searching through his wardrobe looking for a specific t-shirt and listening to Ally reel off a list of things they needed to do.

'We need to go to Diagon Alley for dragon hide gear, visit Gringotts and change our vault status, buy some new clothes, get lunch, make an appointment at Saint Mungo's…' she trailed off when there was a heavy knock at the bedroom door. Considering the mild muggle repelling charms still on the door whoever was there must have really wanted to talk to Harry.

'Get that would you?' Harry's call was muffled by all of the clothes surrounding him. 'It's probably Dudley.'

Ally climbed off the bed, did a quick check to make sure she was completely dressed, and then answered the door. It wasn't Dudley. Standing, with fist raised to knock again, was instead Petunia Dursley. Her mouth gaped open like a fish when she realized her nephew hadn't been the one to open the door.

'You're not Dudley.'

Petunia might have responded had she not caught sight of Harry's room. She was torn between demanding to know who Ally was and demanding to know what had happened to the tiny little dump that had once been Harry's bedroom. Sensibility kicked in and she had to swallow back the bile rising in her throat when her own mind answered her second question. _Magic_. She decided to ignore the room and turn her cold stare on Ally. Ally wasn't fazed in the slightest.

'It's your aunt,' she informed Harry. Then she turned her attention to Petunia. 'Would you like to come in? Harry's in the closet.'

From the closet came the distinct sound of someone choking on a held laugh. Moments later, Harry emerged looking for all the world like he wanted to kiss her. He handed her the jacket she wanted and turned to face his aunt, tugging on his t-shirt. But not before his aunt got a good look at him and wondered what he had been up to to achieve the kind of body Dudley would quite happily have killed for. She assumed it was magic.

She pursed her lips and spoke with the disdain she always felt when looking at or even thinking about Harry. 'You will be here at exactly seven o'clock for dinner. You will be wearing something nice. You are not to be late.'

'Uh, why?' Harry asked.

For a moment Petunia lost the disgusted look she got when thinking of Harry to be replaced by a look of dislike that boarded very closely on loathing. 'Marge is coming to visit.'

Harry froze, a look of complete horror taking over his features. That was the last thing he ever wanted to here his aunt say because he knew there was no way he was going to get out of having dinner with Aunt Marge. She always did like to have Harry close by to torment. Harry shuddered and didn't bother to hide the horror in his voice when he answered his aunt.

'I'll be there.'

His aunt nodded and turned to leave, offering one last nasty look at Harry's now very large and tastefully decorated room. She paused when Harry spoke, though she didn't turn to face him.

'Set a place for Ally,' he instructed.

Petunia merely nodded, though she didn't look terribly thrilled with the idea. She still didn't really know who Ally was. Once she was gone Harry slumped onto the bed with a heavy sigh. Ally smirked at him and for the first time ever he had the feeling he was actually going to enjoy dinner with Aunt Marge. If his uncle didn't murder him first.

They appeared in a shadowy alcove off Diagon Alley. After a quick look around to ensure no Death Eaters were around Ally and Harry pulled the hoods of their jackets over their heads to shield most of their faces and headed down the Alley toward Gringotts. The Goblin on the door gave them a suspicious look but did nothing to prevent them from passing. It took them well over an hour to sort out the changes to their vaults. They added Harry to the titles on all of Ally's vaults and the deed to the properties she'd acquired. Likewise, Ally was added to Harry's vault and the deed to his parent's house in Godric's Hollow, what was left of it anyway.

Despite the long time spent dealing with legal documents, Ally almost bounced out of Gringotts. She was determined to spend a decent amount of money on some Auror standard dragon hide gear. By the time they sat down to eat lunch in the Leaky Cauldron Harry was weighed down by the heavy dragon hide boots, gloves and jackets and several other heavy packages full of books they'd found in a seedy looking shop down Knockturn Alley. He took very little comfort from the fact that they were finished in Diagon Alley. He had a feeling that after the visit to Saint Mungo's Ally would find some excuse to splurge on a bunch of baby stuff they wouldn't need for a while.

He knew he was going to let her.

Being raised by muggles but never actually being around babies, everything Harry knew about going for pre-natal check-ups came from what little television he'd been lucky enough to see. Things in the wizarding world were very different. They entered the waiting room at Saint Mungo's and Ally motioned for him to take a seat while she let the young witch behind the desk know she was there. Given the fact that the waiting room in the maternity ward was empty apart from Harry and a middle aged man, who was frantically pacing back and forth, it was obvious they wouldn't have long to wait. That was a good thing as just being in the room made things all too real for Harry's liking. He accepted the fact that Ally was pregnant, even going so far as to acknowledge that they were having a baby but that was in the future. Right now Harry had his mind focused on other things, things which given Voldemort's current activities seemed like they should have more of his attention.

He didn't notice Ally sitting down beside him and picking up an old copy of Witch Weekly. He also didn't hear Ally's name being called until Ally thwacked him with her magazine. Shaking his head Harry got to his feet and followed Ally down the hall to an examination room. The whole experience was surreal. The ancient medi-witch instructed Ally to lie down and then performed a bunch of complex wand movements that produced a series of colored sparks. Harry had no idea what that meant and given the scrunched look on Ally's face she was just as clueless. Another half a dozen wand movements and a rainbow worth of colored sparks later and the medi-witch was nodding happily. A scary sight on the wrinkled and leathery face.

'Well, its good news,' she croaked. 'Excellent news in fact.'

'The baby's okay?' Ally wanted clarification.

'Perfectly healthy,' assured the medi-witch. 'Just over four months, I'd say. All limbs and digits accounted for.'

Harry's was relieved, just because he wanted to be coasting along in denial didn't mean he wasn't invested in the wellbeing of his child.

'Do you want to know the sex?'

Harry and Ally exchanged looks and entered a silent battle of wills. They'd discussed this the night before, Harry had been adamant they find out to make it easier to narrow down the list of prospective names. Ally wanted to remain in the dark, perfectly content to battle it out with Harry for both male and female names. It was one of the rare occasions where Harry won.

'We'd like to know,' he answered shooting Ally a smug look.

'Congratulations, it's a girl.'

True to Harry's prediction, Ally starting making a list of things they would need for the baby. Every now and then she would grin stupidly and exclaim that they were having a girl. Harry decided it was best to humor her. With an amused smile Harry draped an arm across her shoulders and gently steered her away from the stores that catered to babies, or more accurately to mothers itching to spend a fortune on their unborn children.

They were approaching the Leaky Cauldron when a flash of movement caught Harry's attention. He was about to dismiss it as average street movement when he caught the sounds of muffled screams. Ally stiffened having heard it as well. He released his grip on her and they separated, moving apart and moving slowly toward the source of the noise. From the mouth of an alley, Harry caught a flash of white-blonde hair and the whipping of black robes. He sped up and then peered around the corner into the alley. Pinned against a wall at the end were a teenaged boy and a woman, obviously his mother. The boy was silent while his mother begged to be left alone.

Four wizards Harry recognized from that night in the graveyard were stalking closer. He looked behind him at Ally and held up four fingers. She nodded and he held up two fingers to let her know of the two muggles being attacked. She nodded again and then Harry did something most people would consider stupid. He stepped right into the alley and called out.

'Oi! Who wants to kill Harry Potter?'

**a/n:** okay then. the plan is to post harry's dating guide as a companion fic. not all of it obviously but i thought about ten ways to get a girlfriend, five ways to keep one and the all important reason to forget the whole thing. what i want from you awesome reader, is these sixteen things. i'm leaving it up to you to come up with the ways, i'll write them out, giving you credit for the idea and whatnot. what do you think?


	17. Chapter 13

**a/n: **well here it is, the next chapter. its a little shorter than originally planned but i think it works. a huge thank you to all of the wonderful people who have given their ideas for harry's dating guide. i'd still love any more ideas you have floating around and any ideas as to what the big reason not to would be great. please read and review.

**Chapter 13: Mr. Talented.**

'Why are we here?' Harry asked Ally suspiciously. Up until two minutes ago his hand had been making quite a happy journey north up her thigh. Now the back of his hand was slightly red and he was fully clothed. He wanted to blame it on hormones but he had the feeling he'd been set up.

'I didn't tell you?' Ally asked with a frown.

Harry just gave her a pointed look that told her quite clearly he had no idea why he was standing in front of Professor McGonagall's office door when they could have been locked up in her rooms doing things it was best no one knew about.

'What you said,' Harry told her in annoyance, 'was "I'm craving bacon. Harry we're going for bacon" which if you ask me is a bloody stupid reason not to have sex.'

'Did I?' Ally wondered with a small smile.

'Yes,' Harry nodded. 'That's what you said, that we were going for bacon and then half way down to the kitchens it's suddenly all "I wonder what McGonagall's up to?" and I really hope you weren't thinking that in your office.' Harry shuddered, there were just some things you shouldn't be thinking about when your boyfriends hand was sliding up your thigh while his lips were doing interesting things to your own.

'I don't know what you're implying, Harry, but while we're here,' she raised her hand and knocked politely on the door.

Harry gave her a dark look that was cut off when Professor McGonagall opened the door. She was expecting them, Harry could tell. McGonagall ushered them in and Harry shot a poisonous look at Ally while McGonagall had her back turned. Ally poked her tongue out at him and took a seat in front of McGonagall's desk.

'What can I do for you, Professor Martin? Mr. Potter?'

Harry took a little comfort from the fact that Professor McGonagall was just as in the dark as he was. Though he still wished he'd had a little knowledge to prepare himself for whatever Ally was planning. He hadn't had nearly enough time or a cold shower to be comfortable talking to McGonagall just yet.

'There's no place for Harry in my class,' Ally said without preamble.

'Excuse me?' McGonagall questioned sourly.

Harry's mouth fell open. Of all the things he'd ever thought he'd hear Ally say this was not one of them. Ally smiled widely. It wasn't a smile that boded well for his future, it was the same sort of smile she'd worn that time she'd told him he'd had enough practice so she'd be throwing real knives at him. Harry tried not to look like he wanted to run away as McGonagall flicked her eyes over him.

'I'm not sure I understand,' McGonagall said eventually through thin lips.

'There's nothing more I can teach, Harry,' Ally explained. 'He's far too advanced for my fifth year class; he's too advanced for my NEWT classes.'

Harry tried not to feel smug; it wouldn't do to be too pleased with the sudden praise. McGonagall was a very observant woman and Harry was pretty sure that if he started thinking nice thoughts right then about Ally they would be written all over his face and they certainly wouldn't be G rated.

'I see,' McGonagall said stiffly. While she and many of Harry's other teachers had noticed his great improvements in his classes, she couldn't exactly say he was up to NEWT standard. Though he had always been very adept at Defense Against the Dark Arts. When he was given competent instruction in any case.

'I would like to offer Harry a different opportunity,' Ally went on, 'one that would benefit him more than being bored in my classes.'

There was a beat of silence and Harry caught Ally's narrowed eyes. It occurred to him that he should probably make some sort of token protest just in case her hormones got the best of her later and she decided to punish him for not automatically jumping to her defense. Even if she may have had a point. Harry had spent the last two weeks of classes wandering around acting as a teaching aide or just sitting in a corner and completing his homework for his other classes. It left his evenings remarkably free.

'I'm not bored in your classes,' Harry protested half heartedly. 'They're fun.'

Ally gave him a suspiciously sour look. 'Thanks but that's not my point. I want to start an advanced defense class for a select few of my students and I would like Harry to run it.'

'What?' Harry gaped. 'Since when?' This was this first Harry had heard about any advanced classes. He was actually a bit mad, were they not communicating anymore? Harry supposed Ally might have actually mentioned something about it earlier in the week but he'd been occupied making a rather ingenious potion that was going to allow Ginny to sneak into Dumbledore's office for a good snoop without the old coot finding her. Harry started to scowl, that hadn't gone well. It seemed that Dumbledore had even fewer answers than Harry and a hell of a lot more questions.

'Mr. Potter,' McGonagall scolded, snapping Harry out of his thoughts. She took a moment to consider her words before speaking very carefully. Harry took the opportunity to slap an innocent look of contemplation on his face with what he hoped was a touch of awe. 'While Potter has always been rather adept at Defense Against the Dark Arts, I hardly think his skills are such that he could drop the class just when he should be studying for his OWLs.'

'Actually,' Ally contradicted, 'they are. I'm wasting his time and I think that given the stress I will be under come December it would be, shall I say prudent, to begin an advanced class now.'

'Ah,' Harry said suddenly. He understood now what Ally was doing and while he couldn't say he was exactly happy about it being sprung on him in front of McGonagall he did think it would be a good opportunity to test his skills and evaluate those of the other students. 'You want me to?'

'Yes,' Ally agreed. 'You'll have a say.'

'And come December?'

'If you agree.'

From her position behind her desk Professor McGonagall watched this exchange with raised eyebrows. Harry and Ally were practically communicating without words. It was unusual to say the least. Most irritating was the fact that she still had very little idea as to what exactly it was that Professor Martin was asking. If Harry was as adept as she claimed then McGonagall could see benefit in his starting an advanced class especially with the return of Voldemort. While she'd been lost in thought Harry and Ally had come to an agreement.

'Professor McGonagall, with your permission I would like to start an advanced DADA class. Professor Martin will select students she thinks are skilled enough and I will work with them,' Harry told her. 'It will essentially be a study group.'

'With the Headmasters permission I see no reason for you not to.'

There was an uncomfortable moment where they all contemplated just how well that request could go. Yes, it was a great idea but given the Headmaster's current opinion of Harry's sanity and his overly suspicious nature regarding anything anyone in his school did that was new, especially DADA professors…well it might take a little convincing. Harry realized Ally was hoping McGonagall would prove quite adept in that department.

'I would also like his help with my younger classes,' Ally put in. 'Harry would demonstrate spells and physical demonstrations that my pregnancy doesn't allow.'

'Why have you come to me with this? Surely the Headmaster would have been a better option.' In response to her question McGonagall received two identical looks; both clearly saying they thought the answer was obvious. McGonagall returned the look with one of her own. 'Enlighten me.'

'Professor Dumbledore has made it a point to exclude Harry from many important decisions regarding his own life,' Ally answered, surprising McGonagall.

'Mr. Potter?'

Harry took his time answering, ensuring that McGonagall thought on his words rather than dismissing him instantly as she had so often before in favor of trusting Dumbledore.

'I spoke with Sirius-' McGonagall's eyes widened and she glanced sharply at Ally but Harry didn't notice '-and he mentioned several things in passing that raised some questions. I asked Dumbledore specifically about them over the summer and he told me I was too young to understand, that it wasn't anything I should trouble myself with.'

'I came to you with this, Minerva, because as Harry's head of house you have some say in this and because I trust you to judge this fairly.'

What Ally really wanted to say was that she'd actually tried to get a meeting with Dumbledore but the moment he'd realized that Harry would be there too he'd suddenly become extremely busy. Ally had made one more token attempt to get in to see him but had resigned to doing it with just McGonagall's permission.

McGonagall considered everything she had been asked and told and weighed each heavily before giving any sort of answer. 'I shall consider it but Dumbledore will have the final say.'

Harry nodded and seeing that as a dismissal got up to leave. Ally joined him shortly outside McGonagall's office. They began walking in silence toward the kitchen; Harry didn't need to ask to know that Ally really was craving bacon now. They never did make it to the kitchen though because Harry shoved her into the first empty classroom they came across and warded the door.

'Sometimes I forget how sneaky you can be.'

'I'm choosing to take that as a complement.'

'Oh, it is,' Harry assured her. 'You just gave us the perfect opportunity to handpick and train the best students here. I could kiss you!'

Ally smiled brightly and kissed him instead, a soft lingering kiss that scattered his thoughts just enough that it took him a few moments to start talking again.

'This is bloody brilliant, Als.'

She nodded. 'Ginny thought so.'

Harry opened his mouth, paused and closed it again. He sighed heavily; he supposed this was what happened when you left your girlfriend and best friend alone together. They started plotting things and leaving you out of the loop. He could see that having his best friend and girlfriend getting along so well was going to end badly for him. Still, it could have been worse; they could have hated each other and put him in the middle.

'You can observe my classes next week, covertly, and help me choose the students. If we take one or two students from fourth year and up we can train them up properly to not only protect Hogwarts in the event of attack but set them up to act as a strike force to actively hunt down Death Eaters.'

'I know just where to start.'

It didn't matter to either of them that they hadn't yet received approval; it was just a matter of time. Not that they required approval, they would go ahead with or without the Headmasters permission just to stick it to the Ministry and their stupid misguided attempt to deny Voldemort's return.

'With bacon?' Ally asked.

'With bacon,' Harry laughed.


	18. Chapter 14

**a/n: **this chapter is dedicated to zanna, dani, oceanlover14 and vampchicksam (again). thanks you to all of my wonderful reviewers and feel free to join me in jumping for joy at passing 200 reviews. Yay!

**Chapter 14: Observing the Observant**

Harry Potter hit the floor with a startled yelp. He lay there, face down on the floor, for a few minutes just breathing. Finally he rolled on to his back and looked up at the ceiling. It was boring grey stone, nothing special there. Harry sighed deeply.

'Was it really necessary to toss me out of bed?'

Ally's head appeared over the edge of the bed and she gave him a deceptively sweet smile. 'Yes, yes it was.'

'Why?' he asked, raising himself up on his elbows to get a better look at her.

'Quidditch tryouts,' she reminded him promptly. She handed him the clock from his nightstand to show him he was running late. 'Angelina may kill you.'

'Thanks ever so.'

Ally lounged comfortably in her big bed and watched Harry rush around gathering his discarded clothes. He sat on the edge to tug on his boots and then leaned over to give her a quick kiss.

'Map,' she reminded him between kisses.

'Right.' He snatched the Marauders Map from her outstretched hand and then headed to the door. He was halfway across her living room when he had to double back for his broomstick. She met him at the bedroom door with it in her hands. 'Thanks.' He gave her a quick peck on the lips and dashed across the living room, out into her study and then out into the DADA corridor. He skidded in to the Great Hall with just enough time to snag some toast and run down to the Quidditch pitch.

'You're late!' Angelina scowled. Then she took in his rumpled appearance and last nights clothes. 'Long night, Potter?'

'Very long night,' he agreed, smirking at the obvious implications.

Harry was putting a potential reserve seeker through her paces when it happened. At first it was just a dull ache behind his scar but before long the dull ache had turned in to a throbbing that made his eyes water. He called a halt to the potential seeker and tried to enforce his Occlumency shields but it didn't help. Whatever Voldemort was doing, wherever he was, it was making him really unhappy. Harry tightened his grip on his broom and started to drift toward the ground. Another forceful tug had his eyes closing and his teeth clenching. He barely had time to shout out before his head exploded with pain and he was falling.

_Though he didn't know exactly where he was he knew who he was, or more accurately, whose eyes he was currently seeing through. Voldemort looked down on a cloaked figure and sneered, it felt to Harry as though he was the one sneering but he ignored that minor detail. He had very little time to do what had to be done. It was only at times like this, when Voldemort was feeling so strongly about something, that he let his guard down enough for Harry to see his thoughts. It was during these times, while Voldemort was distracted with whatever it was that made him so emotional Harry had almost unlimited access to his thoughts. It wasn't a pleasant sensation, sifting through the dark thoughts of the most evil wizard but it was a necessary one. It was these times that Harry was able to garner information he and Ally could use to bring down Voldemort and his followers._

_Hoping that Voldemort was angry enough to give him the time he needed, Harry began sifting through Voldemort's surface memories. When those only served to answer the question as to why Knott was being tortured with the Cruciatus Curse, subsequently giving him material to have Knott arrested, Harry delved deeper. In the last moments before Voldemort gained back his control Harry caught the details of a plan to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic and a fleeting decision to train some knew recruits with a little muggle torture. With a counter attack firmly in mind Harry withdrew from Voldemort's mind sharply._

Ginny Weasley heard her name shouted and turned just in time to see Harry fall from his broom. Before she'd even thought about it she was tossing the quaffle to Katie and pushing her broom as fast as it could go toward Harry. The twins weren't far behind but she knew they wouldn't make it. She pushed her broom harder, praying that by some miracle she would reach Harry before he hit the ground. Someone was screaming behind her but she didn't know who. He was just out of reach; a mere fifteen feet from the ground when his eyes snapped open and he gave a startled yelp. Faster than Ginny thought possible Harry twisted in mid-air and landed with a thud on the ground. On his feet.

'Aaaahhh!' he yelped and flopped backward, landing on his back in the grass.

Ginny landed and ran to him, she was the first to reach him but every single person who was trying out was close behind. His eyes were closed and his face was scrunched up in pain. His hands were clenching and unclenching on the grass beside him.

'Harry!' Ginny screamed. 'Are you alright?'

'Bloody brilliant,' he hissed sarcastically. 'Breaking a leg is always a laugh.'

'You broke your leg?' someone from the crowd asked Harry.

'Of course I broke my leg,' Harry snapped. 'I fell fifty feet and landed on my feet!'

At that moment a panicked pregnant DADA professor shoved her way through the crowd with no regard to the second year she almost trampled. Her face was white and she took one look at Harry and had to resist the urge to slap him for scaring her. She settled instead for a snappy comment.

'You've faced Voldemort and a fall nearly kills you?' she asked with an edge of hysteria in her voice that went unnoticed by all but Harry and Ginny.

Harry smiled at her, though it became more of a grimace. 'Help me up?'

Shaking slightly Ally ordered everyone back to their tryouts. She conjured a stretcher and the twins positioned Harry on it before rushing off to save his broom. Ally directed the stretcher up to the castle and Ginny quickly followed. Neither spoke until they reached the front steps.

'Are you okay, Professor?' Ginny questioned.

Ally took a deep breath and Harry titled his head back to get a good look at her. 'I felt him fall; he hasn't been so close to death since our bond was initiated.' She shuddered. 'It's not something I want to experience ever again.'

'Sorry,' Harry said simply. 'Voldemort took me by surprise.'

Both Ally and Ginny looked at him in surprise; it was not something they'd expected him to say. Though really, they should have known he would have a good reason for falling off his broom given how good a flyer he was. The last time he'd fallen off his broom it had been because of Dementors.

'I though you could block him out?' Ginny asked confused, she knew for sure that one of the things he'd learnt during his "trunk time" was how to block Voldemort.

'Normally, he can,' Ally explained in a whisper as they moved through the halls, past curious students and up to the hospital wing. 'When Riddle is really feeling something all Harry can do is ride it out.'

Ginny let that sink in as she pushed open the door of the hospital wing and let Ally drift Harry through the door. Madam Pomphrey took one look at who was on the stretcher and sighed in exasperation.

'Mr. Potter, what have you done now?' She gestured for Ally to deposit Harry on one of the beds.

'I fell fifty feet off my broom and landed on my feet,' he explained with a wince as he was shifted onto the hospital bed. Madam Pomphrey gaped at him.

'You landed on your feet?' she gasped.

'I think I broke my leg,' he informed her.

Her wand was instantly trained on his leg while she murmured spells under her breath. She frowned, did one more spell and nodded.

'Yes, your left leg is broken but it's not serious. You will need to stay off your feet for two hours. You can stay here for that time and then you may return to the Great Hall for lunch.'

When she was finished healing the minor break, and muttering under her breath about the miracle of him still being alive, Madam Pomphrey went into her office leaving Harry alone with Ally and Ginny. Ally cast a quick silencing charm around them just in case.

'What did you find?'

'Attack tomorrow night on some muggles,' Harry answered quickly. 'It's a test for the new recruits.'

Ally nodded. 'Anything else?'

'I've got enough to arrest Knott and to stop Ministry infiltration.'

'How long?'

'For the Ministry?' Ally nodded. 'A month, maybe more, we'll need to wait until everyone is in position before we take them out.'

Ally nodded, lost in thought and plans for what they could do with this information. She rubbed circles on Harry's arm with her thumb while she was thinking.

'We can take the muggle attack easy.'

Ally nodded, even if she was heavily pregnant it would be no trouble for her and Harry to stop the new recruits, it was the Ministry infiltration that gave her pause. They would have to consider the different ways they could attack. Through her silencing charm she could hear someone approaching. She quickly kissed Harry's cheek and removed the charm.

'Take Ginny tonight and deal with Knott.'

Ginny's eyes widened but Ally was already moving out of the room, pausing briefly in the doorway to greet a frantic Hermione. Ginny's wide eyes turned on Harry but he just smiled encouragingly. There was no time to demand an explanation as Hermione scurried over, pale faced and shaking. Ginny could relate, watching Harry fall had taken years off her life.

'Harry! Are you okay?'

'I'm fine, Hermione, just a broken leg.'

Hermione reached out a shaky hand and squeezed Harry's arm tightly. 'What happened?'

Harry shrugged. 'My scar started to hurt really badly.'

Hermione's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to start in on Harry about going to Dumbledore when the door to the Hospital Wing burst open and a grinning Ron hurried into the room. The twins were close behind him carrying Harry's broom.

'I made Keeper!' Ron shouted. 'I'm on the team!'

Hermione shot him a dirty look while Ginny glanced nervously at the closed door of Madam Pomphrey's office.

'How's the leg mate?' Ron ventured, quailing slightly under Hermione's glare.

Harry had to suppress a laugh but he wanted to avoid being on Hermione's bad side. 'Its fine, Ron, congratulations on making the team.'

'Thanks mate, its brilliant! I was so nervous but I pulled through. That last save I made? Perfect!'

Behind Ron's back Ginny exchanged amused looks with the twins. None of them were planning to bring up just how bad his nerves had been or how he'd spectacularly fumbled that first goal. It was better to let him have this; they had to be nice occasionally. Sometimes. Rarely.

'What about the reserve team?' Ginny asked, a sudden sinking feeling taking over her stomach.

Solemn looks formed on all three of her brother's faces.

'Sorry, Gin,' Fred replied. 'You weren't there and Angelina had to make a decision.'

Ginny gave a disappointed sigh but then she caught Harry's sympathetic look and she remembered that if what he had planned tonight was any indication, she was going to need all the free time she could get. It would take a lot of work to keep up with Harry and Ally. Quidditch could wait, bringing down Voldemort was far more important.

'Oh, Ginny, I'm so sorry!' Hermione pulled Ginny into a hug and Ginny had to marvel at her strength. 'There's always next year.'

Ginny grinned. 'And there'll be positions on the starting team then.'

'That's the spirit!'


	19. Chapter 15

**disclaimer: **i own nothing but Ally.

**a/n: **well here it is, i'm a bit concerned about the rating here so if you think i should up it let me know. thanks for all of the reviews! you're awesome!

**Chapter 15: Testing the Gin**

He knew the moment they appeared on the old country lane that something was wrong. There was a stillness in the air, the night was completely silent. He was moving toward the house before Ginny had the time to notice the absence of sound. The front door of the Nott home was hanging off just one hinge. There was a bloody hand print smeared across the wood. Harry held a finger to his lips to keep Ginny quiet and pulled out his wand. Ginny did the same and then with a simple look Harry led the way into the house.

The first thing they noticed was the smell. The acrid smell of burnt flesh hung in the air, Harry barely acknowledged it, his senses were focused on something else. He crept steadily into the house eyes darting quickly around the room, Ginny followed nowhere near as gracefully. Her boots were slipping and siding on the wooden floor. She chanced a glance down and felt her stomach lurch. Blood. The floor was covered in blood.

'Harry!' she hissed as quietly as possible. When he turned to look she pointed down at the floor. He barely glanced down before nodding; he'd already noticed the floor. Absurdly Ginny wondered how he managed to walk without slipping.

They peered around the corner into the living room and the sight that greeted them made Ginny's heart stop. She glanced at Harry to find him already moving into the room. He crouched down and pressed his fingers to the side of her neck. A woman, Ginny could only assume she was Mrs Nott, was lying face down on the floor in a pool of blood. It was she who had caused the bloody trail from the front door. Harry flipped her over and frowned.

'She's still warm,' he said and Ginny suppressed the urge to gag. How was he so calm in the face of a dead woman? Ginny was pretty sure she wasn't even feeling it, that the true extent of what she was witnessing would only hit her later.

'Who did this, Harry?'

'Nott,' he said simply. 'And he's still here.'

That just made Ginny feel so much better.

Harry got up and started moving out of the living room and up the stairs. Ginny was about to ask how he knew where he was going but then she noticed the bloody foot prints that he was following. She trailed him and the foot prints up the stairs and toward a bedroom. The door was open and, from the décor, the room belonged to a young boy.

'Oh god!'

The owner of the room, the young boy of about seven, was dead. He lay on his bed, eyes staring unseeing at the ceiling. There was a huge gash on his forehead and his chest was slashed to ribbons. Harry didn't bother to check this one for a pulse; he knew there was no chance of finding one. Still, he moved further into the room and looked around. Ginny couldn't turn away. As much as she wanted to turn from the scene the gore held her attention. It consumed her; it was all she could see.

She wasn't ready for this.

That was when they heard it. A slight whimper coming from somewhere in the room. Harry stilled and tilted his head to the side; Phoenix enhanced ears listening intently for the sound. It came again and Ginny watched as Harry slowly lowered himself to the floor. He was moving so slow Ginny thought he might have been under a spell. Gradually he moved so that he was lying down on his stomach eyes looking under the bed. He didn't even appear to notice that he was lying in blood. Ginny shivered at the horrible thought.

'Hi,' he whispered and Ginny crouched to see a small dark figure under the boy's bed. Harry rested his hands under his chin and just watched the figure calmly. There was another soft whimper but Harry made no move toward the figure under the bed.

'My names Harry,' he ventured calmly. 'Can you tell me your name?'

There was another whimper, this one longer and containing a word so quiet Ginny couldn't make it out but Harry managed.

'Hi Lydia,' Harry greeted. 'Do you want to come out from under there?' There was another whimpered word and Harry smiled. 'That's okay, you can stay there.'

Harry simply lay on the floor, calmly studying the figure under the bed and it occurred to Ginny that she was standing in a doorway, her back open to the world with a killer on the loose and, if Harry was to be believed, one that was still in the house. She turned around, slowly so she wouldn't startle the girl under the bed and darted her eyes up and down the hall, wand at the ready. She was frantically trying to remember everything Harry had ever taught her about these sorts of situations. Not a single part of her had expected to be putting the knowledge to use quite so quickly.

'Are you going to hurt me?' this time the voice was strong enough for Ginny to hear.

'No,' assured Harry, 'I'm not going to hurt you. But I would like to know who hurt your mummy and brother.'

'Daddy's a bad man.'

'I know kiddo. Did he do this?'

'He said mummy was bad and he had to teach her a lesson. He hurt her and I ran away.'

'Running away is good,' Harry assured the terrified girl. 'He hurt your brother too, didn't he?'

Ginny didn't hear the girls answer; she'd just seen movement at the end of the hall. It could have been a shadow but given what had already happened in the house she wasn't ready to chance it. She raised her wand, trying to control the slight shake of her hand. She saw the flicker of movement again, if it was Nott he seemed to be moving away.

'Harry!' she hissed. 'There's someone here!'

Behind her Harry started moving. 'Lydia, I need you to do something for me, I need you to stay under there until I come back. Can you do that? Good girl.'

He crossed the room in just two long strides and was beside Ginny as quick as possible. He peered into the hall, his eyes seeing far more than Ginny's could. She pointed wordlessly to where she had seen the movement. He nodded and told her to stand guard over the room, if anything moved she was too stun it and ask questions later.

'If its Nott,' Harry added, 'hit him with something else as well.'

And then he was gone, stalking down the hall like a lion hunting its prey and Ginny was alone standing guard over a terrified little girl. The words not ready echoed in her head as a painful reminder that she had no idea what she was doing. It had seemed easy back at Grimmauld Place, the reason Harry was teaching her how to hold her own held very little weight in the safety of a hidden house. Now she was putting the limited skills she had gained to work standing guard over a terrified eight year old girl who had just seen her mother and brother murdered and no doubt knew that she would be next.

'This is bad,' she moaned to the accompaniment of another scared whimper from under the bed.

It was ridiculously easy to track down Nott. Mrs. Nott had obviously fired off a decent scorching hex as the Death Eater was dragging the smell of burnt flesh wherever he went. Harry tracked the scent down the hall and then down a set of stairs that lead into a big open kitchen. Nott was nowhere to be seen but he was definitely close, the smell of burnt flesh was stronger than ever. It tickled Harry's nose and he knew he would be smelling it for a few days.

'You know its funny,' Harry stated conversationally, twirling his wand in his hand. 'I came here prepared to kill you, maybe even take out some of your family if they stood in my way, but you did it all for me.'

Nott didn't answer but he shifted and alerted Harry to his hiding spot. He smiled grimly.

'Give yourself up and I'll hand you to the Aurors.'

'And if I don't?'

Harry grinned darkly and shot a stunning spell toward Nott. He rolled out from his position behind a row of cabinets to dodge Harry's spell. He fired a cutting curse but Harry ducked and shot three quick spells at Nott. Nott managed to block the first and dodge the second but he was too slow to avoid the third. A cutting curse caught him in the chest and he crumpled. Wand trained on the fallen Death Eater, Harry moved forward and kicked the wand from Nott's lax fingers. Cold, angry eyes glared at Harry and his mouth moved soundlessly.

'I don't know why you killed your wife and son and I don't care,' Harry told the dying man. 'Voldemort will fall at my hand and you, Death Eater, are merely the beginning.'

Reaching down Harry grabbed Nott's wand and snapped it in two. He tossed the pieces to the floor just out of the man's reach and turned swiftly. He paused when Nott spoke, his voice heavy and full of pain.

'My…daughter…'

Harry turned back and glared at the fallen Death Eater. 'You should have thought about her before you decided to kill your wife and son.'

With one final glare he hurried back up the stairs calling a greeting to Ginny lest she stun him. She studied him carefully before lowering her wand and stepping aside to let him into the room.

'Find some parchment and leave a note for the Aurors,' he instructed Ginny. He tossed her a thick envelope from the inner pocket of his jacket. 'Put this with it downstairs near the first body.'

Ginny nodded and darted out of the room leaving Harry to deal with Lydia.


	20. Chapter 16

**a/n: **thank you to all of my readers and reviewers, i love hearing what you think. this is the last chapter i have complete so things might get a bit dicey from here but uni's nearly over for the semester and then i'll be on holiday for 2 months. plenty of time to write. let me know what you think of this chapter.

**Chapter 16: It All Comes Crashing Down**

Harry was exhausted and Ron had the good grace to inform him of this when he fell into a chair in the Gryffindor common room Sunday morning. He'd been up all night with Lydia in the infirmary, giving Madam Pomfrey what details he could about Lydia's experience and keeping her comfortable while simultaneously trying to find somewhere she could stay. He wanted to go upstairs, crawl into bed and sleep until breakfast on Tuesday. It wasn't going to happen. While he tried to catch a nap on the couch Hermione and Ron sat on the floor beside him going over the multitude of reasons why Ron's Astronomy homework was not acceptable.

'Where were you last night, Harry?' Ron asked, hoping to, and successfully, diverting Hermione's attention away from his homework.

'Ginny. Martin. Infirmary. Lydia,' grunted Harry in response.

Harry was drifting off and didn't realize how incoherent his response actually was. Ron looked at him funny. As a regular speaker of the half-asleep gibberish Ron had followed most of what Harry had said. Hermione, just generally fluent in Boy got just as much as Ron. Though, she added a little more disapproval in her interpretation.

'Who's Lydia?'

Frustrated with his friends and too tired to realize it wasn't their fault he hadn't slept in twenty four hours Harry offered them both a half hearted glare.

'She's a kid,' he bit out. 'I'm going to take a nap.'

He never made it off the couch. Suddenly Ginny was there. She was still in her pajamas and she was a mess. She looked like she hadn't slept; her eyes were a deep bloodshot red. Her hair was a tangled mess and she was shaking uncontrollably. The trio just stared at her, stunned.

'How can you stand it?' she whispered brokenly.

That was when Harry knew. The night before had finally hit and Ginny was feeling everything she hadn't been able to when they entered Nott's house. She was reliving all the blood, the way the little boy was spread over his own bed while Lydia cowered underneath. He saw it all in an instant and he didn't know what to do. He'd never really reacted this badly all at once; he lashed out, paced, hit things. Ginny was just breaking down.

And then she was falling.

Harry caught her and immediately swept her up into his arms. He held her close and she sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. Suddenly Harry was wide awake and ready to take charge. He knew Ginny didn't want everyone seeing this; she didn't want her emotional breakdown public knowledge. Holding her closer Harry barked out orders.

'Hermione, get her some clothes and whatever else she'll need. Ron, get my cloak and tell the twins to meet us in Martin's office.'

For a moment both stood frozen but then they seemed to realize what he was getting at and burst in to motion. Ron was back first with Harry's invisibility cloak. Harry snatched it from his friend's hands and told him to wait for Hermione to come back with Ginny's things and then to bring them down to Professor Martin's office. The suggestion that this was family only and Hermione wasn't welcome was not lost on Ron. Contrary to popular belief he wasn't all that stupid.

The Fat Lady had barely swung her portrait closed before Harry was draping the invisibility cloak over them. He moved quickly through the halls taking every short cut he knew, never once feeling Ginny's weight slowing him down. Ally's office was empty just as he'd expected it to be. He had to use his foot to knock on the door to her suite and when she opened the door she looked nowhere near surprised to find Harry holding Ginny in his arms hidden under his invisibility cloak. Harry had to admit if he had been thinking clearly he probably would have been expecting some sort of reaction from Ginny.

'Put her on the couch,' Ally suggested dragging the cloak off them and tossing it aside.

By now Ginny had stopped her sobbing but she was still shaking and tears were still leaking down her cheeks.

'You need to change,' Ally informed him suddenly, pushing him toward her bedroom. 'Your clothes have blood all over them.'

Harry frowned and looked down, he could hardly see the blood on his black clothes but he knew the mere sight of it could set Ginny off again. Leaving Ally to keep an eye on Ginny and watch for the Weasley's arrival, Harry darted into the bedroom and quickly changed into some of the clothes he left with Ally. He was coming out of the bedroom zipping up his jeans when Ally ushered the Weasley's in. Much to Harry's relief Ron had been able to shake Hermione.

Ally and Harry took a step back and let the Weasley boys comfort Ginny. She was rocking back and forth sandwiched in a three way brotherly hug and whimpering about the horrible things she'd seen.

'Why'd you bring her here?'

Harry shrugged. 'She needed privacy and I would have taken her to the infirmary but I thought Madam Pomfrey might tell someone. I used up all chances at confidentiality when I took Lydia to see her.'

Ally nodded while studying Ginny. 'Grab a calming draught.'

'Yeah, she's going to need it.'

One calming draught later Ginny had calmed down enough to speak without sobbing. Her brothers were curious about what had happened to their sister, they hadn't seen her so distraught since the diary incident in her first year. The first words out of her mouth were a question directed at Harry and Ally who had settled comfortably onto the coffee table in front of her.

'Why aren't you reacting?' Ginny wanted to know. 'How can you be so calm?'

'Sex,' Harry answered.

'Lots of sex,' Ally agreed.

That didn't help Ginny at all and she made her thoughts quite known. To her, in that moment, it didn't matter that Ron and the twins were sitting next to her providing her with her only comfort. She was angry, she was tired and she was scared.

'How can sex possibly make it better?' Ginny demanded. 'How can it prepare you for what we saw last night?'

'Wait,' Ron interrupted. 'What did you see last night?'

Ginny ignored him. 'How do you do it, Harry? How did you look at the body of that woman, the body of that little boy, and not react? How do you kill someone and not feel it?'

Harry was quiet for a long time. Ron was sputtering incoherently and the twins were looking at Harry funny. Ally was studying Ginny with an intense look that Ginny found unnerving. In the month she had known Ally she had never once come under such close scrutiny. Despite the fact that she was the one in distress, that this whole thing was about how badly she was coping, or how well depending on your perspective, she shifted uncomfortably. She had the feeling she had failed something, that last night had been a test and she had failed miserably.

'We're different, Gin,' Harry said finally. 'Als and I we were born for this, we trained for this.'

Ginny scoffed, finally taking her eyes off Ally. 'How do you train for this Harry? You can learn all you need to be in a fight but how does that prepare you for the things you see, the things you will have to do?'

'He cried,' Ally said suddenly and everyone whipped across to look at her.

'W-what?'

'Harry,' she reiterated. 'He cried like a baby the first time he killed someone,' she explained. 'You don't ever get used to it, Ginny, but you find ways to deal. Harry was right, though, we were born for this, Harry's got his thing with Voldemort forcing him to be this way, forcing him to prepare to face things most people shouldn't have to and I-'

'You have Auror training and time in the Department of Mysteries,' Ginny finished.

'Right.'

'I still don't believe that training, no matter how much, can truly prepare you for what happened last night.'

'What happened last night?' George demanded.

'This is war, Ginny,' Ally snapped, he patience waning. 'You do what you have to do to survive. If that means killing, then that's what I will do. I have seen more than you will ever see, Ginny, I have seen countless wars and been involved in more fights than anyone should ever have to be involved in. I do what I have to.'

Ginny looked toward Harry for support but he was focused on Ally an apologetic look on his face. He sensed her eyes on him and turned to her with a frown.

'What do you want me to say, Gin? I don't like it, I don't think I ever will, but Als and I _were_ made for this, we're strong, we're fast, we're bloody good at it. Last night I killed a man but I saved his daughter from sharing the fate of her mother and younger brother. Was that wrong?'

'What the blood hell happened last night?' demanded Fred.

'You may have been made for this but I'm not,' Ginny croaked. 'I'll protect Hogwarts; I'll fight when I have to but don't ask me to do what I did last night, not yet.'

Harry growled in frustration and scrubbed a hand over his face. 'Look, I can handle the muggle raids tonight and we can put off the Ministry until the baby's born, I'm not going to ask you to do something your uncomfortable with but Merlin, Gin, this is war!'

They sat in silence, Harry struggling to overcome his temper. He was too tired to handle the accusations Ginny was throwing at him. He was too tired to defend his actions. Ron and the twins were confused, they understood all to well that the only reason they were there, the only reason they were hearing this was because Ginny needed the familiar, needed the comfort of family. Why she needed the comfort they were beginning to get an idea but they were still struggling with it. Ally was just pissed and it may have been her hormones clouding her judgment but she had been under the impression that of all his friends Ginny was the one to support Harry unconditionally.

'What the fuck is going on?'

Startled eyes leapt to Ron who was turning pink after his outburst. He grinned sheepishly but didn't bother to apologize, Harry was involved in things, dangerous things by the sound of it, and he was involving Ginny. Ron didn't care if Harry was his best friend; no one hurt his sister without some kind of explanation.

Harry sighed. 'There are some things you should know.'


	21. The Summer Part 4

**a/n: **its a little later than usual but i got distracted by Skins, the last two episodes of the secind season (i cried). This is the second last summer chapter and paths the way for Hermione's background search on Ally. please read and review and of course a huge thanks to all of my reviewers because you are the best.

**The Summer Part 4**

If Ginny were there, Harry knew she would be rolling her eyes at his grand entrance. But she wasn't and he was a little too busy being amused by the stunned and angry looks on the faces of five Death Eaters to really focus on such things. It didn't take long for the Death Eaters to realize he was Harry Potter and that there was no way they were going to let the opportunity to hand him over to Voldemort go. Lucius Malfoy was the first to react.

'Well if it isn't Potter,' he sneered, turning his back on the muggles to face Harry.

'Malfoy.' Harry quirked a brow at him and titled his head to the side as though considering his options. He had the upper hand, not one of the Death Eaters would be expecting him to put up much of a fight. They would toy with him, waste time showing how superior they were. Harry wasn't going to give them the chance.

'This is going to hurt,' he cautioned.

The Death Eaters looked confused for just a moment before Harry started moving, firing spells on them without seeming to pause for breath. Of course they weren't members of Voldemort's inner circle for nothing. Within moments they were reacting, casting shields to deflect what curse they could and dodging to avoid those they couldn't. Ally hit one Death Eater from behind with a cutting curse to the back of the neck. The muggles shrieked as blood splattered the alley but Ally was already moving on, the Death Eater she'd hit collapsing as his lower body stop responding to commands.

Harry dodged an unforgivable from Malfoy and fired back a powerful scorching hex that filled the already smelly alley with the stenchl of burning cloth. He took the opportunity to fire several simple spells at another Death Eater, managing to trip him up with a jinx and then stun him. Malfoy recovered quickly and Harry leapt to the right to avoid being hit with another unforgivable while firing back several stunners, each of which Malfoy blocked or avoided. Ally ducked to avoid a wild spell and crept up behind a Death Eater who had been hit by one of Harry's immobility jinxes. She gripped his head and wrenched it to the side killing him instantly. She twisted suddenly, using his body to block a killing curse. Dropping her human shield she dodged to the right and fired a bludgeoning hex at her attacker's knees. The spell hit its target and the Death Eater toppled his knees shattering, no longer able to hold his weight. The muggles continued to scream, having no way to escape as the fight kept them cornered and they tried to avoid the strange lights flying about.

As Ally's bludgeoning hex took out the fourth Death Eater Harry sent one just as powerful at Malfoy's chest. Malfoy tried to dodge it but he wasn't fast enough. Harry's spell hit him in the shoulder throwing him off balance. His wand flew from his slackened grip and he staggered. His shoulder was a bloodied mess, his arm attached by nothing more than a few bits of muscle. Malfoy glared at Harry and disapparated before he could be killed.

Harry sagged briefly, attempting to catch his breath, before moving forward to collect the fallen Death Eater's wands. Ally turned her attention to the muggle witnesses and started working on a memory charm. Harry placed the wands of the dead on their chests and shot off a quick alert spell to the MLE. By the time he was done stunning and binding those still alive, Ally had finished with the muggles and was waving her wand over her clothes magically removing the blood spatter. She turned her wand on Harry and removed the dirt and blood he'd managed to get covered in.

'We'll be late for dinner if we don't leave now,' Harry muttered unhappily. As much as he'd love to avoid the whole thing he knew it would be better to just go along with his aunt and pretend like he could stand Marge.

'MLE will be here soon,' Ally added, holding her hand out to Harry and leading him out of the alley when he took it.

They were two steps out of the alley when a shimmer in the air caught Ally's attention. Turning she caught a flash of silver as an invisibility cloak was tugged hurriedly into place and they found themselves faced with an invisible Mundungus Fletcher.

'Say a word about this,' Ally warned with a growl, 'and I'll make sure Dumbledore knows you were shirking your duty.'

Dung gave her a funny look but nodded at them, he hadn't seen anything that really warranted telling Dumbledore and Ally looked a bit frightening when she threatened people. Especially given the fact he was invisible didn't seem to be a problem for her. Harry offered Dung a smirk before disappearing around the corner with Ally. Once at a safe distance they vanished.

Harry's prediction that dinner would be interesting proved to be true. They arrived back at Privet Drive in time to deposit their shopping in Harry's room and greet his Aunt Marge when she arrived. Harry had to smother a laugh when she flashed a scornful look his way and then did a startled double take when she actually took in his well fitting and tidy clothes and the fact that somehow he'd made his messy hair look intentionally so. She gaped like a fish for a few moments while her brain tried to cope with its sudden lack of insults and grievances. Harry had a great deal of fun making it worse for her.

'Aunt Marge I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Ally Martin.'

Ally smiled brightly and offered a cheerful wave. Aunt Marge looked as though she were going to need a rather large helping of brandy with dinner. The appearance of her favourite, overweight nephew seemed to rally her nerves somewhat. By the time she'd finished trying to engulf Dudley in a hug, succeeding only in gripping handfuls of excess blubber, she was prepared for dinner and a good dig, or five, at Harry. She started with a tried and true favourite.

'Still here I see,' she offered coldly or as coldly as possible with Ally sitting across from her and displaying startling manners for someone willing to date Harry.

'Yep,' Harry agreed happily. 'I'm still here burdening your poor brother with my worthless presence.'

'Don't be cheeky with me boy,' Aunt Marge warned, while Uncle Vernon glared a warning with his eyes. It may have been his imagination but for just a moment Harry could have sworn that Aunt Petunia had smiled. Scary.

Harry opened his mouth to comment but Aunt Marge seemed to have realized Harry wasn't about to roll over and play dead like one of her dogs and turned her attempts on Ally. Aunt Petunia's skewed sense of etiquette made her leap in and start questioning her guest before Aunt Marge could make her family look even worse.

'So Ally, tell us about yourself.'

Despite knowing how his aunt took pride in the image she projected on the neighbours and strangers alike, it still took Harry by surprise when she was polite to Ally. She didn't even look like she was doing it just to save face. She actually appeared interested in the girl Harry was dating. Harry was a bit concerned that the world had turned upside down while he'd been training in Ally's trunk.

'Well, I was born in this tiny little village in Denmark that you've probably never heard of but we weren't there for long, my parents were there on work. That work got them killed and my aunt brought me back to Britain and raised me until she was killed when I was ten. I've pretty much been on my own since.'

There was a bit of an awkward pause after Ally had finished because no one was really sure how to take what she'd said. Or the fact that she said it in such a matter of fact way with something that most people would consider a smile. Harry tried not to laugh; he knew that Ally didn't really have much feeling in regard to the deaths of her parents having never known them and because of the time in which she'd been raised. She'd had three hundred years to get used to the idea that she didn't have parents.

'That must have been hard,' Aunt Petunia ventured eventually.

Ally shrugged it off but Aunt Marge took the awkward atmosphere as her chance to look superior. In her opinion it was unlikely an orphan had made much for herself. Probably a dropout, she sneered inwardly.

'What is it that you do?' she snapped, taking a large sip of brandy and ignoring the pointed look that Aunt Petunia tried to give her.

'I make an insane amount of money working for the government,' was Ally's bright response. 'What is it you do?'

Deathly silence followed only to be broken by Harry's sniggering and Uncle Vernon choking on his food. Harry could honestly say he'd never had a better dinner with Aunt Marge.


	22. Chapter 17

**a/n: **over three hundred reviews! i'm so excited, i've never had such a response to one of my stories before. i'm all giddy. thank you to all of my reviewers and a special thanks to my anonymous reviewers and Abraxon for all the help and advce. read, review and enjoy.

**C****hapter 17:**

Hermione was getting herself all worked up. She'd paced the length of her dormitory, walked an agitated circle around the common room and snapped at a poor, innocent, muggle born first year that had the audacity to ask for some help with a cleaning charm. She felt horrible for that last one and had immediately apologized and offered up whatever help the kid required. Then she went back to her frustrated flipping of the pages in her Ancient Runes dictionary. She was purposefully being left out of the loop. She was being left so far out of the loop she was surprised she could see the loop. It hurt; it frustrated her to no end.

Ron. RON! Knew more than she did and he was the most unobservant, uncaring, unemotional person she knew. Why did he deserve to know and she didn't? Of course she couldn't be sure that what she so desperately wanted to know and what Ron knew were, in fact, one and the same but she was beyond caring about such a minute detail. Harry, one of her best friends, was hiding things, a lot of things from her. Ginny, her only true female friend was in on it and was now somewhere in the castle bawling her eyes out over some drama that Hermione knew nothing about.

'Ugh!'

It was killing her. That was why she went down to the Great Hall early for lunch and ran straight into the end of Harry's confrontation with the oldest Nott child. She first realized something was wrong when she saw the crowd of students huddled around the bottom of the stairs and the entrance of the Great Hall. They formed a large ring of observers around a small cluster of people. In the middle of things, Harry stood over a fallen fifth year his wand aimed loosely at the boy and his heavily booted foot pressing onto his chest. Nott was bleeding from a split lip and his hands were scrabbling helplessly at the stone floor. Harry had a satisfied smirk on his face.

Behind Harry, a few paces back, stood Ron. He was holding a young girl in his arms and she had her face buried in his neck. Ron was giving Nott one of the most hateful stares Hermione had ever seen Ron give. Beside Harry, Professor Martin stood with the Auror Kingsley Shacklebott whom they had met during the summer. Professor Martin was explaining something to Kingsley but had not once taken her eyes off the fallen student. Spotting the Weasley twins at the bottom of the stairs Hermione made a beeline for them.

'What's going on?'

Both boys glanced at her quickly before turning their attention back to Harry. Surprisingly it was Luna, standing in front of Fred, who answered Hermione's question.

'They're arresting Nott for Death Eater activities. Harry took him down.'

Hermione blinked. She didn't think she'd ever heard Luna say so much at one time that actually made sense. Nor had she ever pictured Luna as being aware of the things going on around her. Then she actually thought about what Luna said. She glanced back at Harry as he loomed over Nott uneasily.

'He was a Death Eater?' Hermione didn't want to believe that anyone as young as Nott could be a Death Eater; she also didn't want to believe that Dumbledore would let someone like that attend Hogwarts. 'Why did Harry capture him?'

This time it was Fred who answered, he was standing really close to Luna, actually leaning his chin on her shoulder. Hermione was on such an angle that she couldn't see the long stretch of rubbery ear trailing from between them. If she had she would have realized how Luna knew so much and she wouldn't have been looking at Fred so funny.

'Harry hears things. The girl Ron's holding is Nott's sister, she told Harry a few things and he got a little angry.'

George snorted but refrained from commenting.

'He confronted Nott and got attacked for it. Harry took him down pretty quick and then Martin arrived.'

'Oh.'

The four stood in silence and watched as Kingsley spoke first to Nott and then to Ron. The whole while Professor Martin stood beside Harry, she was standing close and they were speaking hurriedly. Harry never once removed his foot from Nott's chest. It wasn't until Kingsley was finished talking and had conjured heavy chains to bind Nott that Harry released him. After a last exchange of words with Harry, Kingsley disappeared with Nott via portkey. Immediately the gathered students dispersed, the excitement was over. Not that that would stop the inevitable gossip.

Hermione was almost bursting to talk to Harry by the time the crowd thinned enough for her to get close. The moment she got her chance she was intercepted by Ron, now free of the little girl and looking just as mad as he had before. His bad mood made a nice distraction and, though she was desperate to pin Harry down and get his account of the afternoon's arrest, her loyalty to Ron won out and she changed direction to hurry after him. She completely missed George's comment as she hurried to catch up with Ron.

'And she's masterfully intercepted by Weasley,' he muttered to his brother and Luna.

Luna giggled and handed back her end of the extendable ear. With a knowing smile and a wave she wandered off vaguely in the direction of the Ravenclaw common room. The twins shared a bemused look over her behavior before turning to hunt Harry down in the crowd. They found him down the corridor a little being ushered in to an empty office by McGonagall. They arrived at the door just as McGonagall was closing it, she gave them a stern look and likely would have closed the door sharply in their faces had Lydia not suddenly darted out of the office. The little girl took shelter behind the twins, hiding from McGonagall's chilly gaze. She shut the door on them.

'That went well.'

Lydia looked up at Fred funny but didn't say anything; she wasn't sure what to do. Fred and George took pity on her and guided her away from the office and back toward the Great Hall with the promise of good food and some ice cream. Lydia took them both by the hand, shrinking slightly as they approached the students gathered around the tables for lunch. Many of them shot her looks of confusion but she ignored them as best she could. Fred and George kept her occupied while they ate with silly jokes designed to keep her mind off her family and their minds off what was happening between McGonagall, Martin and Harry.

And that was how Molly Weasley found them.

**

* * *

**

'What have you done?'

It was the quiet calm of her voice that really got Harry thinking. Up until now he and Ally had done whatever needed to be done, regardless of Dumbledore and his Order. But this was the first time that they had done anything so close under the Order's nose, or at least in sight of an Order member straight enough to willingly talk. Ally was already talking, giving the standard story they gave anyone that stumbled on them or saw them doing something they ordinarily shouldn't.

'You know I'm an Auror,' Ally explained. 'I may be teaching here but I still have contacts, still keep my ear to the ground and listen for news. You saw the paper this morning,' she reminded the transfiguration teacher. 'What happened to Nott last night was my doing; I got the information and handed it over to the MLE. I had no idea what he was going to do but I took Lydia away as soon as I found out. Harry was talking to her this morning when he learnt something about young Master Nott he didn't like.'

McGonagall gave Harry her sternest look and he remembered why it was he had such respect for his teacher. She stood by her beliefs and wasn't afraid to stand up to Dumbledore when she knew he was wrong. The problem was that she had come to see Dumbledore just as others had, as being near omniscient. Given a little nudge and the right information he knew that she would be a formidable ally. For now he would have to rely on the students he could gather.

Harry shrugged uncomfortably. 'We were talking about being orphans and I mentioned that my relatives were not very nice people, that they made me sleep in a cupboard.' Harry shuddered. 'She told me what it was her brother and father used to do to her.'

McGonagall didn't need to ask what had been done to the young girl, she wasn't sure she wanted to know all the details. Just the look in Harry's eyes was enough to tell her it was bad. It took her a moment before she could find the words to speak.

'What will happen to the girl?'

Harry smiled. 'She's going to be part of a very loving family.'

McGonagall glanced across at Ally who nodded her knowledge and agreement with what had been arranged.

'Very well.'

Harry rose, acknowledging her words for the dismissal they were. He knew that there was still a lot for Ally and McGonagall to discuss and that it was none of his business. Or at the very least, it wouldn't become his business until Ally told him about it later. He paused at the door when Ally spoke.

'Oh and that'll be detention for fighting with a student.'

Harry left the room with a groan, not seeing the slight twitch of amusement of McGonagall's lips.


	23. Chapter 18

**a/n: **hello everybody! i just want to say that i am unbelievably overwhelmed by the sheer number of wonderful reviews. thank you so much, i love hearing your thoughts. you know the drill, read review and read again if you feel the need. questions are welcome. and an extra special thanks to cassandra30 for making me do the extra lame happy dance that blocked the tv.

**a/n 2: **okey doke, i've gone back added some things and generally tweaked this chapter enough that it now resembles what i consider sense. lol. thank you to oceanlover14 for being my sounding board and ignoring it when i got a little crazy.

**Chapter 18**

'Gummy bears,' Harry muttered to himself, ducking behind a hedge. 'Gummy bears!'

He crept along the hedge and pushed open the small cast iron gate. He could hear music and laughter drifting toward him and cursed a blue streak at Ally and her bad timing and Ginny and her stupid break down. He wasn't being fair, he knew that, but right that moment he was facing the possibility of at least half a dozen Death Eaters crashing what was turning out to be a family BBQ. People were going to get hurt, and what with there being just the one of him, things were going to get very interesting. The kind of interesting that usually ended with him bleeding and surrounded by the bodies of Death Eaters.

The sudden silence of the music caused a round of indignant shouts which quickly turned into screams. With a few choice words Harry darted though the open gate and sprinted toward the back of the house where Death Eaters were circling the muggles. If Ally were there, he would have gone in, wand blazing, shooting spells off like there was no tomorrow. But Ally wasn't there and instead he threw himself behind the BBQ and peered around the corner taking in the positions of all the Death Eaters.

There were eleven of them. Nine trainee Death Eaters and two from the last war to supervise. He took them out first. Two near simultaneous stunners felled them both before they knew what hit them. He ducked back behind the BBQ and waited for the chaos to break out. The second the arguing started Harry flung his arm out and fired two curses at the fallen Death Eaters to prevent the others from reviving them. That done Harry rolled out from behind the BBQ and fired a mixture of stunners and simple curses at the trainee Death Eaters.

He hit two with stunners and another with a body bind but the others were fast and they knew what they were doing. Harry shot some painful curses at the fallen trainees to keep them from getting up and then ducked back behind the BBQ. He wasn't as fast as he should have been and a stinging hex caught his left arm. Ignoring the pain, he stood and made a tricky swishing movement with his wand that sent a wave of power at all of the standing Death Eaters. Those smart enough to duck avoided the spell but another two were sent flying, smashing onto the decking and skidding into the glass sliding door. Harry could see the scared family members huddled inside; the more curious had their faces pressed against the glass to see what was going on. He was in no doubt someone would have called the police already which meant he didn't have long to finish things.

Dodging several nasty curses, at least one of which he recognized as the cruciatus, Harry attacked the two Death eaters on the deck with a rapid succession of spells that left them bruised, bleeding and unable to stand. He felt a spell whiz past his ear and ducked just in time to avoid a killing curse thrown at his back. Throwing up a shield he spun around and fired back. Spell after spell bounced off the Death Eater's shields and Harry struggled to attack all four at once. A sudden idea had him stopping his assault and concentrating instead on his shield. He let the Death Eaters attack him, all the while he studied their positions and the way they moved. In an instant he dropped his shield and vanished with a grin.

He reappeared seconds later behind them and managed to fell two with stunners before the others had noticed. Keeping his shield up he moved forward, deflecting spell after spell. When he was standing close enough, his shield reflected some of the curses back on their caster. The two trainee Death Eaters threw themselves in opposite directions to avoid the stray spells. Harry bound one in ropes and hit the other with and Imperius curse.

'Stop,' he commanded and the imperiused Death Eater froze in his attempt to get up. He could hear sirens and knew he had just minutes to get this done. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a handful of large red coat buttons. He placed one on the chest of each of the fallen Death Eaters and made sure their wands were attached to their bodies. That done, he touched the nearest button with his wand to activate the portkeys. All ten of the Death Eaters vanished; they would reappear in moments in the middle of Auror Headquarters. It would be a nasty surprise for whoever was stuck on night duty. Satisfied, Harry turned back to the remaining Death Eater. He watched for a moment as the Death Eater struggled to fight the Imperius curse. He failed miserably and Harry smiled grimly.

'This is what you're going to do…'

* * *

Harry dashed into the Great Hall and reached for a piece of toast just as all of the food disappeared. He slumped into his chair with a groan. This was just a lovely way to continue what was becoming the longest day in history. Three days with hardly any sleep did not a happy Harry make. If he didn't get any food he knew he wasn't going to make it through the day without falling asleep. An angel in the form of Ron handed him a napkin filled with toast.

'Best mate ever,' Harry muttered tiredly, cramming a large piece of toast into his mouth.

Ron smiled grimly. 'Rough night?'

Harry moaned. 'Ten seconds away from getting caught by the police.'

Ron looked around to check that Hermione was well out of earshot, the fact that Neville was within earshot didn't seem to be as much of a risk as the nosy brunette. 'You take care of it?'

Harry nodded and swallowed a mouthful of toast before he answered. 'Did one better.' Catching a glimpse of bushy brown hair Harry stuffed another piece of toast in his mouth and shrugged. He would have to fill Ron in later, it gave him a great feeling of relief to know that Ron had at least some idea of what he was up to. With Ginny going all emotional on him it might even be a good idea to put Ron through his paces. None of which he could bring up with Hermione targeting him like a heat seeking missile.

'Harry you missed breakfast,' Hermione admonished. 'Where were you?'

'You'll see,' he smirked. 'I'll catch you up; I won't be in classes today.'

Harry pushed away form the Gryffindor table and left before Hermione could ask too many questions.

'Harry!' her voice shrieked after him. 'You can't skip your classes.'

As he reached the doors he could have sworn he heard something about OWLs and irresponsible behavior. If he hurried he could make it before anyone arrived. He managed it by taking a few short cuts and secret passageways. He just had time to leap onto the desk before he heard giggling in the hall. A bit of concentration and some flexing of his muscles and Harry was arther intimidating sight. He settled himself comfortably on Ally's desk and waited for the students to arrive, wondering how long it would be until anyone bought up the rather large and imposing thing sitting on Ally's desk. He yawned widely startling the first group of fourth years entering the room and causing them to leap back with a shriek. He grinned lazily at them and settled more comfortably. Ally appeared suddenly behind the group of startled fourth years and ushered them inside. They gave her desk a wide berth and took seats up the back of the room. Ally patted him mockingly on the head and perched gingerly next to him. Once the class was settled, those in the front leaning as far back in their chairs as they could, Ally stood and nudged Harry off her desk.

Luna trailed in at the last moment, offering a dreamy smile to Ally and giving Harry a strange look. He gave her a very toothy smile and then chuckled when the entire class flinched. Ally smiled widely and greeted the class.

'Right any questions before we begin?'

Quite a few of the students looked like they wanted to ask but none put their hand up. They may have been a few weeks into classes but Ally still presented an often scary and unknown element. Mostly, her hormones had the entire school walking on eggshells, certain that one wrong answer or question could have them strung up like that dark Wizard from her last trip to China she'd taken great pains to tell them about in excrutiating detail. Luna, typically unlike the rest, raised her hand eagerly.

'Yes, Luna?'

'How does a phoenix become a panther?'

There was a moment of stunned silence before the class started to snicker, not bothering to hide the fact that they were laughing at her. Ally smiled widely and clapped her hands together happily; she bounced slightly on her toes in excitement.

'Luna, you have to be the most observant person I have ever met. Take a hundred points for Ravenclaw.'

Luna smiled and tilted her head in acknowledgement. Harry ambled toward her, propped his front legs on her desk and gave her a big lick up the side of her face with his rough kitty tongue. She giggled and pushed him away. His front paws hit the floor with a soft thud and he started to prowl up and down the aisles between the desks. It gave him a nice feeling watching all of the students shrinking in their chairs to avoid the huge black cat stalking them.

They had one student for the ADADA already.

The rest of the morning wasn't nearly as productive and when he and Ally bumped into Professor McGonagall on the way down to lunch Harry had no qualms about telling her so.

'Do you find us all completely stupid?' he asked in frustration.

McGonagall quirked a brow and looked to Ally for an explanation. Ally laughed.

'I think Harry is suffering from a lack of talent. Not his,' she clarified when McGonagall looked confused. 'We've been looking for ADADA members all morning and so far we've only found one suitable student.'

'Shield charms,' Harry muttered darkly. 'Can't even perform simple shield charms!'

Ally rolled her eyes and received an oddly amused look from McGonagall.

'Given that your venture seems to be failing, Potter, perhaps I should expect you in my class this afternoon?'

'Professor, I can honestly say I will never enjoy your class more than I will this afternoon.'

'Excellent,' McGonagall agreed. 'Then you won't mind that I'm giving a test.'

Harry stopped dead in his tracks and just gaped at McGonagall. How in the name of Merlin was that fair? And had McGonagall always had such a sense of humor? Harry turned his head to the ceiling and shouted to whomever might be up there listening.

'Was I a mass murdering King in a previous life?'

His only response was a rather large water balloon courtesy of Peeves.


	24. Chapter 19

**a/n: **i would just like to squeel really loud, jump up and down and do a really lame but extremely satisfying happy dance. feel free to join me as we are celebrating another review milestone. over 400! yay! just want to thank everyone who left me a review, you're all awesome. i especially want to thank global conquest-er for the awesomeness of her reviews. also for those of you who read chapter 18 as soon as it was updated you should go back and re-read as it has been fixed to make more sense. please let me know what you think of this chapter, reviews, rambles and happy dances are welcome.

**Chapter 19**

'Bloody hell, Harry, I kind of liked my eyebrows.'

Harry laughed. 'Sorry mate, I'll put them right again.'

Harry raised his wand but Ron stopped him. 'Best wait until we're done, no point putting them back if you're going to blow them off again.'

'I didn't mean to blow them off,' Harry apologized, trying and failing to hold off a laugh. 'You just catch on a bit faster than Gin; I wasn't expecting you to duck.'

'Of course I'm quicker than Gin; I've got five older brothers.'

'And she's got six.'

'Well yeah,' Ron agreed, 'but we weren't going to fight with her.'

Harry had to concede that Ron probably had a point. With all of those boys in one house there was bound to be some rough play going on. Ginny, being the youngest and only girl probably didn't get to see much of it. She had been coddled, spent most of her time with her mother in the house while the boys played outside. Harry had heard Ginny complaining more than once that she was never allowed to play Quidditch with the boys. An active childhood, surrounded by brothers would definitely give Ron added experience in ducking unexpected spells and flying limbs.

Ginny may be a fast learner but Ron had that added experience and the drive to prove himself just as good, if not better than his baby sister. Harry had hope that he would have a little help while Ally was pregnant and Ginny was learning what she could and couldn't do. An idea started to form in Harry's mind and he moved away from Ron to slump onto one of the chairs they'd pushed to the corner of the room. It wasn't the best place to be putting Ron through his paces but the empty classroom on the seventh floor was far enough out of the way that no one was going to stumble across them accidentally.

'Think you can work on this with Ginny? Get her to teach you everything I taught her?'

Ron nods. 'As long as we can find somewhere to do it.'

'I'll find you somewhere, the twins too.'

'What are you thinking, Harry?'

What Harry was thinking and what he explained to Ron was that the advanced DADA group could serve more than one purpose. As a group the ADADA would provide Hogwarts with generals to direct the students should Voldemort and his followers attack. Like he and Ally had discussed, on a smaller scale the ADADA could be broken down into pairs and used as a strike force. With enough training and the right partner any member of the ADADA could do what he and Ally had been doing. Searching out the information and gathering what they could to take action against certain Death Eaters.

Ron thought it was a brilliant idea and eagerly volunteered to be taught by his sister.

'Good, now we just need to avoid Hermione.'

Ron's face fell and he shifted uncomfortably. 'She's being a nightmare, Harry. She spent all last night while you were in detention trying to get answers out of us.'

'You know how she is about this though.'

'I know.'

Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks. They were both extremely aware of the way they were excluding Hermione and, if they hadn't found her tucked away in a corner of the library researching Ally straight after dinner, they might of felt a little guilty about it.

'Will she find anything?' Ron asked, breaking the silence.

Harry honestly didn't have an answer. Hermione was one of the smartest people he had ever met. When she focused her mind on something she could do anything. She'd been the one to discover what kind of monster was hidden in the chamber of secrets by Salazar Slyhtherin, she'd done most of the research for the fourth task and she put way more effort and research into her homework than was even close to necessary. Harry was pretty sure that, given the right facts, Hermione just might come to the correct conclusion on her own. He just really hoped she didn't do it until he was ready.

He needn't have worried.

While Harry and Ron were mucking about in an empty classroom on the seventh floor, Hermione was buried amongst a dozen or so books that she hoped could help her found out more about Ally Martin. She'd been in there for nearly three hours and the most she'd come up with was that Professor Martin's full name was Alexandria Leah Martin. And that she'd gotten by asking the woman herself earlier.

She'd tried estimating Martin's age based on the information she'd let slip during classes. That she was alive during the last war, that she'd been in China during a certain Quidditch game, but it hadn't yielded any results. Even with a ten year space for wiggle room there was still no record of an Ally Martin born in the last thirty years. There wasn't one born in the last century. The only Ally Martin she'd been able to find was a squib living in Bath and she was a hundred and seven years old.

Frustrated, Hermione snapped the book she was reading closed and tossed it onto the table. It made a heavy thump and sent a cloud of dust into the air. She sneezed and looked around warily for any sign of Madam Pince. Irritated but unwilling to give up, Hermione reached for a book on awards given to Ministry of Magic workers and leafed through that.

She was distracted by a fascinating tale about Mad-Eye Moody when he was just a young Auror and didn't hear Ginny come in. She looked up from her book when Ginny slumped into the chair beside her and shoved several of Hermione's books out of the way to make room for her own. She raised her eyebrow in question but Ginny didn't notice. She was too busy reading the titles of Hermione's books.

'Hermione, what the hell are you doing?'

'I'm researching Professor Martin.'

'Um, why?'

Ginny had a pretty good idea why someone would want to research Martin; she just hadn't realized Hermione had come across something worth researching. They were only five weeks into the term; Ginny couldn't imagine what it was Martin had done that had gotten Hermione into research mode so intensely. And so quickly. She hadn't used any Phoenix powers in front of people, she hadn't been particularly flirty with Harry, at least no more than she had with half of the boys in fifth year and over, and she hadn't done or said anything suspicious. So what the hell was Hermione researching?

'What do you mean why?'

Ginny offered Hermione a look that clearly told the bushy haired fifth year that she thought she was a little stupid. 'Why are you researching a professor?'

Hermione opened her mouth and then closed it with a snap. Why _was_ she researching Professor Martin? How could she explain to Ginny that the young professor just rubbed her the wrong way? That she found some of the things Martin did strange and out of place when you tried to put them in to context? How could she explain that everything about Professor Martin seemed to contradict the person she presented herself to be?

Hermione found it a lot easier than she would have thought to convey her suspicions and frustrations to Ginny.

'She talks about events that happened decades ago as though she was there but she looks to be in her mid twenties. She talks about working for the Ministry of Magic in three different departments for so many years that either she was working for all three at once or she's lying. She talks to the students like she's only been out of school for a handful of years but she can discuss transfiguration achievements from fifty years ago with McGonagall.'

'She discussed transfiguration achievements with McGonagall?' Ginny shook her head. 'Wait, never mind.' Ginny knew she may very well regret what she was about to ask but she had to do it anyway. 'What do you think you're going to find?'

'I don't know,' admitted Hermione. 'I just think that with the history we have of Defense teachers who are incompetent or Death Eaters impersonating ex-Aurors I think that it's worth looking into.'

Ginny couldn't argue. Hermione's reasons were valid and she was right about the things Martin had done and said. She could only hope that Harry got the chance to come clean to Hermione before Hermione found out on her own.

'Did you hear what happened in her class with the fourth year Ravenclaw's on Monday?'

'You mean the panther thing?'

Hermione shook her head and crinkled her nose. 'I can't believe Dumbledore allowed her to leave a panther alone in her classroom.' Hermione looked completely horrified. 'But that's not what I was talking about. She awarded Luna Lovegood one hundred house points for asking how phoenixes become panthers!'

'Luna is the most perceptive person I have ever met,' Ginny murmured. 'That was a brilliant question.'

Hermione gawked at Ginny, letting the book on Ministry awards slip from her fingers. 'Ginny! It's not a brilliant question. Phoenixes can't take the form of other animals, I checked. I even asked Professor McGonagall and she said it was impossible without magical intervention and even then she said it would take an extremely skilled witch or wizard to overcome the phoenixes powerful magical nature. Luna got one hundred house points for no reason!'

Ginny shrugged. 'Did you ever think that maybe Luna knew something no one else did? That maybe Martin is an exceptionally powerful witch who transfigured her pet phoenix into a panther? That maybe Luna was awarded those house points for being able to see beyond the magical transformation to see the true nature of things?'

Hermione mouthed wordlessly; there was nothing she could say to that.

'Luna's really strange but she sees things a lot of people don't. Mostly I think she's just lonely, she doesn't have a lot of friends in Ravenclaw.'

'That's awful.'

Ginny shrugged. 'It's going to change soon, though, Harry likes Luna.'

Hermione dropped the heavy book she'd just picked up on the table, and subsequently her finger. Shaky her finger in an attempt to relieve the pain, Hermione gaped at Ginny in shock.

'Harry _likes_ Luna?'

Ginny snorted but decided not to correct Hermione's assumption. Where was the fun in that?


	25. Chapter 20

**a/n: **thanks so much for all of the wonderful reviews. here's a nice long (well long for me) chapter that focuses on Hermione. please let me know what you think.

**Chapter 20**

Hermione was looking at him funny again and if it wasn't for the fact that he'd spent more time in the bathroom that morning than he was willing to own up to, he would have thought there was something on his face. She kept looking up from her breakfast to give him funny looks. Then after a while of scrutinizing him, she'd look at something over his shoulder, shake her head, and mutter something he couldn't hear before going back to her breakfast. Harry let it go on for about five minutes before the appeal of out glaring Snape wore off and he had to ask her just what the hell was going on.

'Nothing!' Hermione insisted, her cheeks turning pink as she tried to look anywhere but at Harry.

Ginny giggled and moved further down the table to sit with a few of her friends from her year. She looked back at Hermione and giggled again. Harry rolled his eyes and then looked to Ron for a possible explanation. Ron shrugged, as in the dark as Harry was.

'What's so interesting about the Ravenclaw table, Mione?' Ron questioned around a mouthful of food.

'Ravenclaw?' Harry turned around to follow the path Hermione's eyes had been tracking all morning. He found himself locking eyes with Luna who smiled vaguely at him. 'Oh that reminds me—Luna!'

'Yes?' she called back across the aisle.

'We're starting' he began to shout then shook his head. 'Could you just come here?'

Luna nodded, rose from her seat at the Ravenclaw table and drifted across to Harry at the Gryffindor table. She was completely oblivious to the many eyes watching her.

'Hello, Harry,' she greeted, taking Ginny's abandoned seat. 'Hello, Ron, hello Hermione.'

For reasons Harry didn't know, and probably didn't want to know, Hermione turned bright red and stared down at her plate. Ron gave Hermione a strange look before exchanging equally confused looks with Harry and Luna.

'Anyway,' said Harry slowly, offering Hermione one last weird look. 'Martin's Advanced DADA class is meeting tonight,' he explained to Luna. 'We're meeting at seven o'clock in a classroom on the fourth floor; she wants to talk to you before so I thought I'd take you up after dinner.'

'Do I need to bring anything?'

Harry shook his head. 'Just dress like you would for her classes.'

Luna nodded, snatched up another piece of toast and drifted out of the Great Hall after offering Harry a quick peck on the cheek. Hermione nearly choked on her bacon.

'What on earth is up with you?' Harry demanded, just as the morning post owls burst into the hall.

'Nothing!' Hermione insisted as Hedwig and two brown owls swooped down on Harry and a small grey one dropped a copy of the Daily Prophet in front of Hermione.

Unusually, Hermione didn't open her paper straight away. The last few days Hermione had torn into the morning paper with an enthusiasm no one else could match. An up and coming journalist, striving to be the next Rita Skeeter, was doing a spectacular job of piecing together his and Ally's exploits. Though nothing had yet been linked to him, Bianca Days knew what she was doing and, despite reporting with Rita's ferocity, she hadn't yet gotten anything wrong. Days had correctly pegged that one or two individuals were actively striking out at Death Eaters and had taken great pleasure in offering up the evidence Harry and Ally had handed over to the MLE. Opinion was changing and while most people still considered Dumbledore an old coot, they were coming around to the idea that maybe, just maybe, there might be something to those Voldemort rumors. Hermione had so eagerly been following Days' articles that Harry knew something big was going on when she didn't immediately disappear behind the paper.

It didn't occur to him to run while he still had the chance.

'Professor Martin is starting an Advanced Defense class?'

Harry froze like he'd been hit with a body bind jinx. He had been dancing around the problem of Hermione and the ADADA for a few days and still hadn't figured out what to do about it. He knew where Ally stood on the matter, as the teacher she'd had the final say on exactly who would be a member and she had openly stated that Hermione wasn't ready. Logically, Hermione was the perfect choice for any sort of advanced study group. As Ally had pointed out, Hermione rarely took her nose out of a book. She'd been useful in all of their adventures, like the philosopher's stone and Sirius, but she still based a lot of her focus on book learning.

And that gave Harry a brilliant idea.

'Hermione, you're a genius!'

Hermione, who hadn't said more than her question about Martin starting the ADADA, beamed a little confusedly at him. Ron, who had been subjected to several one sided arguments from Harry about Hermione and the ADADA looked equally confused.

'I am?'

'Yes, yes you are. Ron, can you take Luna to meet with Martin tonight?'

Ron nodded, he was still just as confused but now he was also visibly preening with the knowledge that there was an ADADA class and he was a part of it. Even if he did have to escort Luna to her meeting with Martin beforehand.

'What are you going to do?'

'I'm going to introduce Hermione to Als' library.'

'You're gonna what?' Ron asked incredulously.

After all that protesting about Hermione not being ready just yet to know about Harry and all his secrets, or at least the ones Ron was privy to, he was just going to take Hermione into her idea of heaven and give her the research material to figure it out on her own?

'Have you gone barmy?' Ron wanted to know.

Harry shrugged. 'It's possible.'

'I'll take Luna to meet with Martin but you can be the one to tell her you've lost your mind.'

Harry winced, maybe he should have thought a little more on the idea before bringing it up.

**

* * *

**

'Harry, we can't be here!' Hermione hissed from behind him. She sounded scandalized and that amused Harry a little more than it probably should have.

'Relax, Hermione, its fine.'

Hermione wanted to believe him but there wasn't a part of her that thought breaking into the DADA professor's office was a good idea. She thought that Martin was a competent enough Auror that her office may be set up along the lines of the fake Moody's. She was expecting lots of Dark Arts detectors and maybe a few wards on the door. She wouldn't have been so disappointed when Harry effortlessly opened the door if she had known that he was keyed in to all of the wards and could invite anyone through without trouble. As it was, Hermione was disappointed because, despite her desire to prove that Martin wasn't all she seemed, she liked the idea of a woman moving so swiftly through the ranks of such a difficult and important job.

'Why are we here?' Hermione whispered, wringing her hands anxiously as she watched Harry close and lock the door.

Just to annoy her, Harry took a seat in Ally's chair behind her desk. Hermione's eyes widened and she looked around nervously. Harry laughed out loud and gestured for her to take a seat.

'She knows we're here, Hermione, you can relax.'

Hermione took a seat but, until Professor Martin told her in person that it was okay to be there, she didn't trust that Harry was being truthful. Harry leaned back in the chair and put his feet up on the desk just because he could and it made Hermione nervous.

'You know how you asked me about Martin's ADADA class this morning?' Hermione nodded. 'Well, the idea is to gather together the best Defense students at Hogwarts, those that are the best in a certain field and create an elite class. She wants to train a select number of students to defend Hogwarts should Voldemort attack because with Dumbledore too busy with the Order nobody is paying attention to what we're doing.'

'That's not true, Harry, Dumbledore is doing everything he can to protect us.'

Harry shook his head. 'Hermione, Dumbledore is focused elsewhere and he's not paying attention to me, his greatest asset against Voldemort.'

'Harry, this isn't something you can do, you're so young, it's not up to you to fight Voldemort, you shouldn't have to. Leave it up to Dumbledore and the Order.'

Harry smiled sadly. 'That right there is why you're not in the ADADA. You're smart enough to know that war doesn't work like that. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I can sit back and let the adults handle it. Voldemort dragged me into this fight Hermione and Dumbledore is leaving me in the dark. Voldemort has made it a point to come after me four times and I know, Dumbledore knows, that he will again. If working hard to learn everything I can to defend myself and, if teaching others to do so is all I can do at the moment with Dumbledore and the Order watching my every move, then that's what I'll do.'

'I don't understand why you think I'm not capable of being in the ADADA when Ron is, when Luna is.'

What made it so hard to deal with Hermione in this was she honestly didn't see it, she couldn't see why Ron and Luna were better to have than her. It was because she was so smart, because she was so good at learning everything her teachers threw at her, that she failed to see what Ron and Luna had.

'Have you ever sat down and talked to Luna? Really talked to her?'

'Well, no,' Hermione admitted. 'Last time I talked to her was when you attacked Nott and she didn't say much.'

'Luna may not be as smart or as clever as you but she's sees a lot more than people give her credit for. That ability is very handy in an attack and Ron; well you've played him in chess. He plans out everything half a dozen moves ahead; he could organize the entire school into a fortress with defenses so solid only the people we wanted in could get in. He may not be as smart as you and he may think that studying it stupid but when it comes to protecting Hogwarts he is leagues ahead of you.'

Hermione had no words to accurately describe how she was feeling. She had never before felt like there was something she couldn't do, that there was something she couldn't learn.

'Why am I here then?'

Harry smiled. 'You're here because you're bloody brilliant when it comes to books and research.'

Hermione smiled a little sadly but if there was something she could do to help Harry and prove that she could be just as useful in times of war (and she wasn't all that convinced Harry was going about this the right way) then she was happy to do it. In a way she understood that this was just another way for Harry to organize an elite group. He spoke as though he could read her thoughts.

'Martin and I can handle the physical aspects of this war, Hermione. I know you want to know what happened to me over the summer, and I know I haven't been all that honest with you recently but I need your help.'

Feeling slightly better about her ability to be useful, Hermione sat up straighter.

'I don't agree with everything you're doing but I do agree that there is a war coming and it isn't a bad thing for us to know how to defend ourselves. What do you need me to do?'

With a goofy smile, Harry got to his feet and moved around the desk to tug Hermione from her chair. 'Trust me; you're going to love this.'

He pulled her toward the other end of the room where there was another door, Hermione assumed led to Martin's private rooms. Just as he had when it came to entering her office, Harry just pushed on inside. He led her into a small living room and over to a trunk in a corner of the room. She watched with a frown as he opened the trunk and swung one leg into it. When he started climbing down, Hermione realized it was a magical trunk and peered over the edge to watch as he descended a ladder pinned against one side.

'Are you coming or what?' he shouted up to her.

With a bit of nervous shakiness she climbed into the trunk and followed Harry down. When she reached the bottom of the ladder she turned around to look at Harry and her mouth fell open. She was standing on the edge of what had to be a very large room, perhaps the size of the Gryffindor common room. The room was lit by a dozen or so torches and was filled with stacks and stacks of books all piled haphazardly into twisting columns. There had to be hundreds of them and Hermione could hardly breathe with want to explore.

'Oh Harry!'

'Welcome to the Martin Library,' Harry announced with a laugh at her delighted look.

Hermione bounced excitedly, loving every second she got to spend just looking at all those books. Her fingers itched to explore the piles and piles and piles.

'You may not be able to organize an army but I think you can handle this.' He looked around him at all the books and ran a sheepish hand through his hair. 'We've sort of just been piling them down here when we find them,' he explained.

Hermione moved forward as though in a trance, fingers dancing delicately over the titles of several books. There were books she'd found mentioned in books in the library, books she imagined were locked up in the restricted section. There were large leather bound volumes covered in dust and small cloth bound ones covered in what she really hoped wasn't blood. Hermione was in heaven, she wanted to weep.

'It's beautiful,' she whispered in awe. 'Where did they all come from?' She'd just registered Harry's comment about finding them.

'There's a lot about me you don't know Hermione and I'd like to keep it that way until I'm ready to tell my secrets.' He tried not to notice the slight fall of Hermione's smile but he wanted to be honest with her on this at least. 'The books here have been taken from the homes of Death Eaters, from the Potter vaults, from Ministry archives, from dead Aurors, from just about anywhere. There's some really useful information buried here, information that might help us stop Voldemort if we could just find it. Do-'

'I'll do it!' Hermione interrupted, throwing her arms around Harry in a very tight and happy hug. 'There are things I want to know but you've definitely bought yourself some time.'

Harry laughed. 'Thanks, I think.'

**a/n: **my laptop is off to computer heaven and they're cutting off our power for maintenance tomorrow so i thought i'd post early. Who knows when i'll be able to post again? Oh god, i have no idea what i'm going to do without my laptop. *sobs*


	26. Chapter 21

**a/n: **wow, later than usual but i have a really good excuse. i went to see the new transformers movie. it rocked. anyway its creeping a little too close to 2am for my liking and i just finished writing and editing this chapter. its not the last summer part as i thought becasue that didn't want to be written. anyways, please read and let me know what you think. reviews are appreciated and adored.

**Chapter 21**

'So you're all wondering why you're here,' Ally began as she wandered around the room in front of the ten students, hand picked for the ADADA. 'Most of you are probably thinking you've got detention, only you're not sure what you did.'

The students were seated on three couches in a semi circle toward the back of the classroom. It was a big old one that likely hadn't been used in decades. They all exchanged looks before turning their confused expressions on their often eccentric DADA professor.

'Well, you'd be right. You do have detention, twice a week for the rest of the year.'

She raised her hand against the sudden onslaught of protests and such was the power of her presence and, well, the general scariness that was a rather pregnant ex-Auror that they immediately quieted.

'Now you're really wondering what you've done, what did you do to deserve so many detentions? Maybe you're thinking about going to your head of house, maybe you're thinking I've gone a bit mad because of hormones but what you should be thinking is why the hell am I so lucky?'

They looked back at her like she was crazy and given that the twins and Ron had a little more insight in to what was going on, they also had a little more to support her craziness. Ally spun around, hands moving faster and faster as she spoke and merely glancing over her shoulder when Harry slipped into the room.

'You're special, so special that Harry and I,' she jerked her hand over her shoulder in Harry's direction. 'Have decided that you are good enough to join our advanced DADA group.'

Shocked and pleased looks took over the confused ones on the students faces. Of course, they were still a little hesitant because she was acting a bit more exuberant than anyone was comfortable with at eight o'clock at night.

'You each have a talent, a gift, that is unique to you and you alone and we aim to use those gifts-'

'With your permission,' Harry interrupted.

Ally carried on as though she hadn't heard him. '-in order to fight this war against Voldemort.'

For the first time since they had gathered in the classroom one of the students spoke.

'You want us to fight the war against You-Know-Who?' Daphne Greengrass questioned with a frown. 'Are you mad?'

Ally's shoulders sagged and she stepped aside to let Harry field that one. He looked briefly like a deer caught in headlights but then he sighed.

'We don't want you to fight Voldemort directly,' he explained. 'What we want is to prepare you for what is coming. We want to train you up to protect the school and yourselves when the time comes.'

Silence, an endless and very heavy silence echoed around the room while those students selected for their brilliance and gifts let his words soak in. Luna was barely paying attention to Harry, her focus solely on Fred who was stealthily placing itching powder down the back of a seventh year Hufflepuff's robes. She didn't need to hear the words, she had already spoken to Ally. She was in. She had people to fight for, a father to save and friends to make. Fred was in, all he needed was to know that Harry was in and the same went for George.

Ron was in; ready to do something he was good at. He was ready to outshine Hermione, just this once. Daphne Greengrass didn't need to think on it much. She'd asked around about Ally Martin, had asked her parents and the boy down the Lane that worked in the Minister's office as an assistant to an assistant to an assistant. Everyone she'd spoken to had one thing to say. Ally Martin asks, you say yes. She was saying yes.

Steven Kennedy hadn't asked around, he didn't know Ally on a more friendly level and given that Fred was pouring itching powder down his back he wasn't all that fond of anyone that wasn't a Hufflepuff. Still, he was saying yes because what would look better on his application to the MLE than being a member of an advanced defense group?

Jesse Jacks wasn't particular fussed either way. He had a job all lined up even though he didn't finish school for another year an a half. Honestly, he didn't care one way or the other if he joined the ADADA. What he did care about was the fact that someone had seen something in him worth taking note of. For someone who had spent his whole life being Andrew's older brother that actually meant something.

Abigail Nathan was in, without question. She was fifteen, she was blonde and she hated just about every girl in her year. If she happened to pick up something in this class that she could use against, say Sally Robbins, then she was all for it. So yes, Abby was in.

Susan Bones knew exactly why she was there and exactly what her required gift was. She was happy to help any way she could, especially if it kept her family alive longer and if it helped her aunt get one up on Dumbledore. Amelia Bones would have one niece to be proud of.

Emmy James was just like Abigail. She had no idea what she had to offer Ally in her ADADA but given that she was the only child of a poor muggle loving family, not unlike the Weasley's, she was eager to help.

All of this took mere moments to process; it took those ten students mere seconds to decide whether or not that wanted to join the fight against Voldemort. It was a sure sign that Harry and Ally had chosen well, not a single one of them questioned Voldemort's return.

'Are you in?' questioned Ally, her voice showing every sign that she meant business.

Slowly everyone raised a hand. Ally looked around at the students and smiled a wicked grin. She was going to take this group of poorly educated (Defense wise); young people and turn them into a leading force for Hogwarts. They weren't going to know what hit them. She whipped around and grabbed a stack of folders off the desk. There were ten of them in varying colours, each corresponding to a particular student.

'This is how it's going to work.'

She walked over to the twins and handed them each a purple folder emblazoned with the moniker Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. With raised eyebrows, Fred and George opened the folders to get a glimpse of what was inside. Ally pointed at a door across from them.

'Your lab is through that door.' She gave them a moment to process that before she continued. 'Your part in this is simple, keep making joke products, keep inventing. All I want from the two of you is distractions and controlled mayhem. Understood?'

The twins, who looked as though Christmas had come early, nodded. The chance to continue their work backed by a teacher was an opportunity too good to pass up.

'Susan.' Ally handed her a blue folder. 'You're our contact with the MLE, without you Dumbledore will have access to all of the information we are passing to the department. You're going to control what it is the Ministry knows about the goings on at Hogwarts.'

Susan nodded, acknowledging the fancy way of saying keep up the good work.

'Daphne, eyes and ears in Slytherin house. Any Death Eater activity, anything overheard that could prove useful, you will find out about it and you will use it. I want detailed files of every member of Slytherin house showing signs of sympathizing with Voldemort.'

Daphne took the green folder handed to her and bowed her head in acknowledgement.

'When you're done with that I want the rest of Hogwarts done.'

Daphne's mouth fell open but she didn't protest. Not that there was much point, Ally was already moving on. She handed a yellow folder to Luna and explaining that the Ravenclaw's role would largely involve combing through the information and tips they received for anything useful that the others, who didn't possess her unique insight, might have missed. Daphne smothered a laugh at that.

'Ron, your folder contains detailed maps of Hogwarts, the castle, the grounds and every secret passageway discovered by the Marauders.'

Ron took the maroon folder with a glare directed at Harry and then finished off Ally's instructions. 'Defensible positions, weak points and ideal trap points. Got it. Could've picked a better colour though.'

Harry smiled at Ron while Ally handed Steven a grey folder and gave him the simple instruction of helping Ron.

'That's it? You want me to help, Weasley?'

'You have a problem with that?' Harry asked.

Steven smirked. 'Are you kidding? I was worried you were gonna have me, I don't know, tracking Death Eaters or something.'

Harry smirked in response. 'That's not your job.' He took two black folders from Ally and handed them to Emmy and Abigail. 'It's yours.'

Emmy and Abigail took the folders with uneasy looks. Theirs were almost as thick as Ron's and contained a mere profile on known Death Eater's and suspected Death Eaters.

'How are we supposed to do that?' Emmy muttered unenthusiastically.

Abigail grinned cheekily. 'Oh, I've got an idea on that.'

'Why do I not like the sound of that?' Emmy grumbled.

'So that leaves you, Jesse, you get the fun job.'

Jesse was handed a white folder and a leather pouch that rattled as though filled with coins. When he peeked inside to check he saw that it was indeed filled with galleons.

'Anything we need, you're going to get. Potion ingredients for the twins, gear for Ron and Steven, your in charge.'

'Blimey,' he swallowed heavily; eyeing the bag of galleons like it might bite.

Ally moved to stand behind Harry and surveyed the new recruits. 'Any questions?'

'Yeah, I've got one,' Ron volunteered. 'Where's Ginny?'

Ally smiled.

**

* * *

**

Ginny was sitting on top of a book case, disillusioned, cloaked and spelled not to make a sound. She was also bored out of her mind. Professor Snape had been in Dumbledore's office for over an hour and they still hadn't gotten around to discussing anything of importance. Though, Ginny was getting an insight into the greasy haired professor she could have done without. Who would have ever thought Severus Snape had good taste in music? She made a mental note to slip in a comment about that later in a potions lesson and shifted uncomfortably. She was wondering on the creation of a spell to prevent your bum going numb after long periods of sitting when the old coot finally brought the conversation around to Voldemort.

'Any new threats?' Dumbledore queried.

'The Dark Lord is taking a break.'

Even as he said it Snape sounded confused and wary. An idle Voldemort generally meant he was plotting something and Ginny could tell it was making her Potions professor mighty edgy not knowing. She wondered if it would help the man to know that Voldemort wasn't plotting, just recovering from the bout of unshielded sex Harry and Ally had enjoyed two nights ago.

Probably not. Best not to make things worse when there was a mass murdering, homicidal, power hungry, maniac on the loose. Ginny wondered how many ways she could come up with to describe Voldemort and his dark ways before Dumbledore went to bed and she could revive her bum.

She got to a hundred and three. Who knew Dumbledore could work till three in the morning?


	27. The Summer Part 5

**a/n: **hello everyone! i want to thank everyone for the absolutely fan-freaking-tastic reviews. heres the fifth and final summer chapter. please read review, and just generally enjoy.

**T****he Summer Part 5**

'This is a bad idea, Als,' Ruby hissed as they made the long walk up the drive at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

'Did I ask for your opinion?' Ally snapped back, she was in a bad enough mood without Ruby doubting her.

'Yes, you did.'

That bought Ally up short. She had asked for Ruby's opinion, she remembered that much, but she also remembered tuning her out after the response got a little long winded and far too reasonable. Ally tried to remember the most important of Ruby's arguments and once more came up empty. Ruby, having known Ally for almost a decade now, knew exactly what her friend was thinking and helpfully rehashed those more significant arguments.

'Shall I remind you?' She didn't wait for a response before she started talking again. 'I'll paraphrase, shall I? Dumbledore is here, Harry's teachers are here, Harry's friends are here and there are about two hundred students here who live and breathe whatever drama is going on in Harry's life. Clear enough?'

'Yes, thank you,' Ally muttered. 'This drive is way too long.'

Ruby bounced happily beside her. 'It just gives me more time to remind you of why this is a bad idea. Oh, I've just thought of something else: you're pregnant!'

Ruby took the rest of the walk toward the castle to remind Ally and make up a few new reasons. By the time they were knocking on the heavy front doors, Ally was about half a sentence away from banishing Ruby to the Sahara. Unfortunately she knew it wouldn't stick. Ruby was a great Unspeakable, good at her job and even better at getting out of a bind. She could easily find her way out of anything Ally threw at her and that included popping back from the Sahara in a flash. Ruby was saved a sandy trip by the opening of the front doors.

'My name is Ally Martin, I'm here about the Defense Against the Dark Arts position,' Ally informed the tiny man who had opened the door. She knew, without needing to be told, that this was Professor Flitwick the Charms teacher. Though what he was doing in the castle during the summer holidays was beyond her.

Professor Flitwick led the way through the castle and up to the Headmasters office. Much to Ally's joy Ruby turned her chatter on to poor Professor Flitwick who had barely made it to the stairs when he remembered why Ruby's name had popped so easily into his mind.

'How're things, Professor? Still teacher Charms?'

Flitwick started to reply but Ruby cut him off.

'Oh, you're teaching Harry Potter! Bet that's an experience, that boy has one wicked sense of humor.'

'You know Mr Potter?'

'Yep,' Ruby announced happily, choosing not to notice the sharp jab of an elbow to her ribs. 'Met him a few weeks ago, cute boy, seemed nice.'

'Yes, well, here we are.' Flitwick looked immensely relived. 'Good luck Miss Martin.'

Ally tried not to think about all the reasons she wasn't a good choice for the job and instead focused on the list of credentials she had. The list was quite possibly longer than Flitwick was tall. Flitwick gave the password and the huge gargoyle moved aside.

'I'll just wait here.'

Ally glared at Ruby and stepped onto the moving staircase. This was her first trip to Hogwarts since she'd graduated herself, way, way back in the day. It had been well over two centuries since she'd been anywhere near the Headmasters office. It was sort of unsettling to realize that in those two hundred plus years, very little had actually changed about the castle. Idly, as she raised her hand to knock on Dumbledore's door, she wondered how many short cuts she could remember.

'Come in.'

Taking a deep breath, Ally pushed open the door and entered the office. The room itself was exactly as she remembered from all those years ago. The walls still held the portraits of previous headmasters and the fireplace still stood large and imposing. Dumbledore had added his own touch to the room. A wealth of magical instruments, some of which even she couldn't name, were scattered about on shelves and tables. There were a dozen bookcases filled with books and a perch sat beside the desk, a perch that Ally knew belonged to the very phoenix that had given her Harry.

'Good morning, Professor Dumbledore.'

'Ah,' he looked at her over the top of his half-moon spectacles and smiled. 'You must be Alexandria Martin.'

Ally smiled and was about to take the seat Dumbledore offered when a commotion broke out above them amongst the portraits of two old headmasters. Both looked up at the sudden commotion and Ally's smile wilted slightly.

'Great Merlin!' a middle aged witch with curly black hair exclaimed. She was pushing herself to her feet as though she'd just fallen out of her squishy armchair. 'Alistair! Alistair!' she shouted to the portrait next to her. 'Its little Ally Martin!'

'What? It's who?'

'You are familiar with these two?' Dumbledore turned to her with an amused smile.

'Never seen them a day in my life,' Ally replied dryly, offering both portraits of her old headmasters a nasty glare to shut them up when Dumbledore wasn't looking.

Dumbledore turned back to her with a chuckle and she forced herself not to respond to the looks she was now receiving from each of the portraits. One was confused the other bubbling with excitement. If they didn't keep their painted mouths shut she might just have to see to it they met an unfortunate end in the fire.

'I understand you are interested in teacher Defense Against the Dark Arts.'

'Yes, sir.'

'Forgive me for saying so but you seem a bit young to be teaching such a difficult course.'

Ally smiled and tugged a thick parchment envelope from the pocket of her cloak. She handed it to Dumbledore, who took it and shook the pages inside loose. His eyes widened as he read further down the page and then the next and the next.

'I'm older than I look,' Ally informed him a little smugly. She was quite proud of every one of the achievements listed on the pages she had given Dumbledore to prove her capability.

'Forgive me but I find this rather hard to believe. I myself have spent considerable time at the Ministry, the MLE in particular and I have never heard about an Ally Martin.'

'I started out in the Department of Mysteries, professor; a colleague of mine is waiting for me outside if you would like to speak with her.'

'That won't be necessary,' Dumbledore assured her, going back to her list. 'Up until recently you were working as an Auror for the ministry, why the change in profession?'

This was the part Ally had been dreading. On paper she was perfect for the job, even if her accomplishments and skills were a little on the extreme side for her "age". But when she explained why she was in need of a new job she started to lose some of her edge.

'I've recently gotten married and am now expecting my first child. Being an Auror did not seem an appropriate job given my condition.'

Dumbledore frowned. 'How do you expect to teach if you are about to have a child?'

'I have a house elf who will watch after my baby while I work. I understand the circumstances aren't ideal but I also understand that things have become quite desperate. I've been told that if you aren't able to fill this position then Minister Fudge will be sending Delores Umbridge.'

Ally couldn't quite mask her shudder of displeasure as she spoke the name of the horrible toad like women who had been attempting to remove Ally from any position she'd held within the ministry since the old toad first got the job of Undersecretary to the Minister. Though he seemed a little startled that she would know this, Dumbledore also couldn't hold the small smile of amusement at Ally's obvious dislike of the women.

'Its true the Ministry is putting pressure on me to make a decision, however I'm not sure that, given the circumstance, you would be any better for the position.'

Ally refrained from rolling her eyes, she didn't think that would endear her to the old man any.

'Professor Dumbledore, I understand this decision is not an easy one to make but I also understand that given the sudden return to power of one of the darkest wizards this world has seen in quite some time, it is better to fill the position with someone competent enough to do the job.'

Dumbledore didn't react to the way she announced her belief that Voldemort had indeed returned to power. Ally didn't need him to react to know that it had his interest peaked.

'I know you and Harry Potter are being cast in an unfortunate light by Fudge and the Ministry but I am neither blind nor stupid. Voldemort is back and as I am unable to continue fighting him as an Auror, I feel I should at least teach the next generation to defend themselves as best they can. Just to be ensure, should the time come, they have the knowledge to fight.'

She wasn't sure whether it was her calling Voldemort by his name without flinching or her adamants that the students understand how to protect themselves, but she knew from the sudden relaxing of his shoulders that she had won him over.

'Have you ever taught before?'

Ally nodded. 'I have but not to this extent. I worked for some time as a private tutor.'

Dumbledore nodded studying her thoughtfully. 'I believe, Mrs Martin that you have the job.'

'Thank you, Professor.'

She leaned forward to shake the old mans hand and stood to leave.

'Be sure to be here on the twenty ninth of August. Minerva McGonagall, our Deputy Headmistress, will show you around and answer any questions you may have.'

Ally bowed her head. 'Thank you, sir.'

She turned to the door and was half way there when he spoke, stopping her and forcing her to turn back to him.

'Congratulations, Professor Martin, children are a wonderful adventure.'

Ally smiled. 'I've heard they're a right pain in the bum, sir.'

Ally could hear his amused chuckle as she slipped onto the stairs and closed the door behind her. She breathed a huge sigh of relief and almost skipped down the stairs. Ruby smiled when she saw her.

'You got the job?'

'I got the job.'

Ruby hugged her friend and started off out of the castle.

'I can be there when you tell Harry, right?'

Ally smacked her arm lightly and Ruby's laugh could be heard on several floors.

**

* * *

**

It was around midnight when Professor Dumbledore retired to bed leaving the portraits of past headmasters to speak freely. It was almost the second Dumbledore's cloak swished around the edge of the door that the curly haired witch was up and speaking.

'Ally Martin!' she exclaimed to those surrounding her as though it should have the same effect on them as it did her.

As the youngest headmaster Hogwarts had ever seen, Anadina Smith was still in possession of most of her memories, or those that her real self held when she was painted. She'd served for fifteen years as headmaster before being taken down by a rather dangerous wizard messing about with the dark arts. She remembered Ally Martin well; the exceptional girl had been in and out of her office for the first five and a half years of her education. She had gotten to know Ally Martin very well over the years she'd attended Hogwarts. There was no doubt in her mind that the Ally Martin who had just interviewed for the DADA position was the very same Ally Martin who had once gotten into an argument with her Ancient Runes professor over a text that had been translated incorrectly for nearly fifty years.

'Well I always said there was something different about that girl, didn't I Alistair? Didn't I?'

The wizard she was speaking to, her replacement, a man who had been pushing one hundred and ten when he'd finally met his end, looked at her blankly for a moment as he searched through nearly four hundred years of memories. When he finally came across something that seemed right his mouth fell open and then he laughed delightedly.

'That sneaky little witch!' he cackled happily. 'I'll be damned, Ally Martin!'

Anadina Smith smirked to herself and exchanged amused looks with Alistair. It was safe to say that whatever Ally had planned, Dumbledore would never see it coming. Suddenly, after nearly three hundred years stuck to a wall, Anadina Smith felt she was about to have some fun.

**a/n: **because i'm going away on the 6th for about a month there won't be any updates for pretty much the whole of July. To make up for it there will be another update this week (yay!). keep an eye out for chap 22. And also if anyone could recommend a good harry/ginny fic where ginny gets pregnant at hogwarts that'd be awesome.


	28. Chapter 22

**a/n: **well here it is, the last chapter until august. i'm kind of sad about that but if things work out well on my trip then i might have another story ready to start posting. oh and eeeeeeeeeeeeeee! i passed 500! many happy dances. please let me know what you think and have fun. i know i will!

**Chapter 22**

Harry lay flat on his back on the floor of the DADA classroom mentally revising the Ancient Runes dictionary while Hermione and Ron practiced their emergency medical skills on his prone form. It was one of Ally's more practical ideas, to teach the students what to do if someone is injured during a fight and you aren't able to get them to help. While Harry was revising, Ron was bandaging an imaginary leg wound and Hermione was hovering behind him waiting to assist if he did something wrong.

Harry was pretty bored. Ally had gone over this almost none stop for an entire day during the summer until he'd gotten everything right. Now she was wondering amongst the students correcting mistakes and offering helpful advice. She was wandering back towards him to check over Ron's progress when he felt his arm start to itch. He lifted it to see what was tickling him and found a message magically scrawled on his forearm.

_I'm not wearing knickers._

The words vanished quickly but not before Ron had seen them. He looked at Harry with wide eyes and then shot Ally an embarrassed look. He diverted his eyes quickly when she smiled at him and came to a stop just behind Harry. Ron turned bright red and looked anywhere but at Ally, Harry just smirked and tilted his back to enjoy the view.

'How's it going Ron?'

'Fine,' he answered in a strangled voice.

Hermione looked at him strangely but assured Ally that Ron hadn't made a mistake yet. Harry wasn't sure but he thought she sounded a little more proud than was strictly necessary. With this to distract him, Harry focused his attention on his two best friends and how they interacted. There was a part of him that knew there was an attraction between Ron and Hermione but watching them while they silently worked on his "injuries" he had to wonder what it was they saw in each other. How did Ron put up with Hermione constantly snapping at how incapable he was? How did Hermione put up with Ron who, Harry had to admit, frequently proved Hermione's theory that he had the emotional range of a teaspoon? Harry mentally shrugged. They'd sort themselves out one of these days and maybe then they wouldn't fight so much.

Finally the bell rang and Harry was freed from the floor. Happily he gathered his things together and followed his friends out of the room. He'd barely made it out into the corridor when he was snagged by the back of his shirt by a blonde fourth year and then climbed like a tree until he was an unwilling participant in a piggyback. He stumbled slightly but managed not to fall, even going so far as to grip the legs wrapped around him to keep steady. Hermione squawked in surprise but Ron kept walking with a grunt in greeting.

'Any reason you couldn't have walked?' he asked the sudden growth on his back.

'My dorm mates are pissing me off and now they're jealous because I'm talking to the god, Harry Potter.'

'Abs,' Harry groaned. In the two weeks he had known Abby she'd grown on him like a weed. So much so that he was suddenly wondering how he'd gotten a little sister with his parents being dead. She was a good kid, smart, strong and apparently incapable of being friendly to any girl her own age.

'So…any chance of a lift to Charms?'

Harry sighed, today was going to be a long day. Still he could take comfort from the fact that tomorrow was a Saturday and with no Quidditch he would be able to sleep in. His plans of a nice lay in were shattered the moment dessert was served. No sooner had the delicious looking dessert appeared on the tables did Dumbledore stand and request silence. As was his power everyone in the Great Hall quieted to listen to the headmaster speak.

'If you would, Professor Martin has an announcement that I am sure you will find very,' he paused as though searching for the correct word. 'Intriguing.'

With a smirk Ally stood and moved to stand in front of the staff table. 'Thank you, professor. Now,' she said addressing the sea of students, some of whom had stood to get a better look at her. 'At the beginning of term I mentioned a test of sorts to discern your abilities in Defense. The time has come, I'm afraid, for you to prove to me that you have managed to overcome whatever the hell it is your previous teachers have done and demonstrate that, should you find yourself under attack, you won't die for at least three minutes.'

There was an uncomfortable chuckle at this, no one was really sure if she was joking or pressing a rather dire fact on them.

'Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock every student will report here for testing. We're going to have a tournament of sorts where each of you will be ranked. You've got tonight to prepare.'

There were several exclamations of outrage at the short notice, including a rather surprising and violent outburst from Hermione who was looking considerably pale at the news.

'Good luck.'

There was something almost vindictive in the way she spoke those final words and Harry was thankful he had been training so vigorously for some time now. Hermione continued to pale and Harry actually began to feel a little concerned when the colour still hadn't returned to her cheeks as they entered the Gryffindor common room. Ron seemed equally concerned.

'Hermione, are you okay?'

'Did you know about this?' she asked shakily, her eyes darting between the two boys. 'Did you know we were going to be tested tomorrow?' her voice rose in panic and she leapt to her feet, pacing back and forth before them.

'Calm down, Hermione,' Ron half laughed. 'You know all this stuff, you'll do fine.'

'How could she spring this on us? We have no time to prepare!'

Harry thought he might try his hand at calming her down. 'Hermione, haven't you been reading through those books in Martin's library? You've probably picked up more defense spells than the rest of us combined.'

When in doubt, lie a little. It probably wasn't the best philosophy and was bound to get him in trouble at some point tomorrow but it would serve its purpose tonight. Although, given that Hermione was very good at her spell work, how well she did tomorrow really depended on whatever physical demands the tests required. When it came to the physical aspects of Defense Hermione still struggled.

'You'll be fine Hermione,' Ginny assured her, plonking down onto the couch beside her distraught friend and popping her feet up on the coffee table. 'I doubt Martin is going to make us do anything you couldn't do with your eyes closed.'

Hermione smiled, slightly reassured and then spent the rest of the evening pouring over all of her DADA notes while Harry and Ron played Exploding Snap. Ginny occupied her time pouring over Ron's annotations in his maroon folder. He'd had some brilliant ideas and just from reading the few notes he'd made Ginny was pretty damn confident if Voldemort ever tried anything on Hogwarts he'd get his ass kicked. It almost made Ginny look forward to it. Almost as much as she was looking forward to proving herself at Martin's test tomorrow.

Hermione was the first up to bed that night after Ginny stole all of her notes. She put up a bit of a fight but Ginny caught her with a tickling jinx until she stomped up to her dormitory with a huff. Harry followed quickly after, darting out of the common room before anyone could see him. It wouldn't exactly end well if anyone saw him heading in the opposite direction of his bed well after curfew. To make things difficult he tripped over Mrs Norris almost the instant he stepped out of the portrait hole. She let out an angry squeal and he glared at her. Harry could honestly say he never thought he would find himself participating in a staring contest with Filch's horrid cat.

Harry won. It made him all kinds of giddy.

His good mood lasted about as long as it took to reach Ally's rooms. When he slipped inside he found her, not lying in bed like he would have hoped, but dressed in her sneaky black best and lacing up a pair of dragon hide boots that he knew for a fact she only wore when she was planning on getting into some kind of mischief. They were spelled not to make a sound or leave footprints. He groaned in disappointment and he could have sworn Ally smiled to herself before looking up.

'I was hoping to have sex.'

'Be a good boy and maybe you'll get lucky.'

She patted him gently on the cheek and gave him a cheeky grin. He rolled his eyes.

'Where are we going?'

'DOR at the Ministry.'

Department of Records. Joy. A night filled with too much parchment and given, the mess the DOR was in last time they snuck in, he wasn't counting on having sex tonight. Double joy.

'Why?'

'Because a friend of Ruby's found what he thinks is evidence of Fudge taking pay-offs.'

'The idiot kept a record?' Harry knew he should have been surprised but he just couldn't work up the energy to find something stupid Fudge had done unexpected.

'Not a record as such, no.' She blew him a kiss and vanished. He rolled his eyes and followed, appearing beside her in a dark and very dusty smelling room. Ally continued speaking like she hadn't just burst into flames and disappeared. 'This friend of Ruby's thinks he's found a discrepancy in the funding of Fudge's department. Something about spending more money that they're allotted and yet never being in debt.'

'Ah.' He looked around at the hundred plus rows of shelving and turned to bang his head against the nearest one. 'Can we at least have sex in here?'

Ally's laugh echoed back at him from somewhere around F.

'I'll take that as a no.'

'I would.'

Harry stalked after her, following the sound of her voice and wondering if she had always been this annoying when it came to sex. Or maybe he was just really horny and that was making him a little cranky. Yeah, that was probably more likely. He turned another corner and stopped dead in his tracks, letting out a low whistle. Ally stood there, her shirt raised so he could see her boobs.

'That tide you over?' she asked, biting her lip in a manner that was far too enticing.

'I think it just made it worse,' Harry grumbled.

Ally laughed again, dropping her shirt back into place. He liked her laugh, it always made him smile. Right up until she shoved a box filled with parchment at him and told him to get started.

'Evil witch,' he muttered.

'_Sexy_, evil witch,' she corrected


	29. Chapter 23

**a/n: **I'm back! my trip was awesome, well except for that whole getting sick at the end thing. i got some awesome reviews for the last chapter and even some for older ones while i was away. You guys are absolutely wonderful people. If i'm coming across a little weird and happy its because a whole month without proper access to the internet seems to have melted my brain. That and i'm still all stuffed up and finding breathing an interesting experience. Anyhoo, heres the long awaited next chapter, the first of many about the tournament/test. please read, enjoy and review. as always your thoughts, even if they are mere random rambles, are alwasy welcome. also i love the way the death eaters move in the movies so i'm using that in this story. nothing like some decent special effects to spice things up.

**Chapter 23**

Breakfast that morning was different. Harry met up with Ron, Hermione and Ginny at the top of the last staircase down into the Entrance Hall and was surprised to see the doors to the Great Hall closed. Many students were wandering outside in confusion and Ron, being Ron trailed after them following his nose.

'I smell food.'

Food turned out to be a rather extravagant outdoor picnic. Sprawled on the lawn, just outside the doors, were dozens of picnic blankets, each with a small spread of food in the middle. Harry was kind of impressed; the house-elves had outdone themselves.

'This is incredible,' Hermione whispered, taking the lead and moving toward a vacant picnic blanket. There were eggs, bacon, toast, fruit and sausages. There were jugs of milk, pumpkin and orange juice.

Breakfast was an enjoyable affair, with friends darting between blankets to meet up with other friends and good food under a nice clear sky. At ten minutes to nine the remaining food vanished and McGonagall stood up on the front steps and announced that they could make their way inside. There was a nervous air surrounding the entire student body as they made their way through the Entrance Hall and into the Great Hall.

The sight that greeted them was incredible. Gone were the long house tables and the staff table. Instead, against the side walls and surrounding the door, stands were built up, filled with enough seats for each student. At the far end where the staff table usually stood was a special section for the teachers to sit. In the middle of the room a platform had been erected. On it, Ally stood holding a large clipboard. Harry took a seat in a middle row with his friends, eager for the show to begin.

When the last of the students was seated Filch closed the doors and a hush fell over the room. Ally smiled. She handed her clipboard to Professor McGonagall who had joined her on the platform and addressed the students.

'When I first started teacher here I was appalled at the level of skill displayed by you all.' There were several affronted mutters but most couldn't deny the crappy instruction they'd had. 'I understand you can't be held at fault, at least not entirely, so I gave you a hell of a lot of work to do to catch up. I gave you five weeks to learn everything you should have already been taught on your own and today we're going to see what you can do.'

'Because that doesn't sound ominous at all,' a voice murmured in Harry's ear and he turned around to find Abby and Emmy sitting behind him. A quick look around showed him that, while he'd been locked in yet another glaring competition with Snape, the ADADA members had taken the seats all around him.

'She tell you anything about this?' Emmy asked.

Harry shook his head. 'Als and McGonagall did it all.'

'Scary,' Abby grumbled.

'No doubt about it.'

'This is how it's going to work,' Ally explained. She snapped her fingers and a cloud of black smoke sped down from the ceiling and formed a dummy much like the Death Eaters special form of Apparation. The Dummy stood looking similar to a store manikin or a scarecrow dressed in Death eater robes complete with white mask.

'Professor McGonagall has helped me create these training dummies. When your name is called you will come down here and face a dummy in a duel. Each dummy is spelled to know everything you should know and will act just as a true opponent would. It will fire spells at you, dodge them, block them. Anything a student of your level would be expected to know, it will know.'

'Definitely ominous,' Emmy muttered.

Most students were now shifting uncomfortably. Over the last weeks they had become used to Ally's rather unique manner of teaching. They'd all come prepared like they would for her class, dressed ready for physical activity, wands within easy reach. Still, they weren't expecting this. Dueling other students, maybe, but dueling a dummy that was likely instilled with better knowledge? Yeah, definitely scary.

'Today, all first through fifth years will face the training dummies. You will be scored based on how long you last against each dummy and the number of hits you score. If you succeed in defeating the dummy it will turn red, should the dummy succeed in defeating you, you will likely find yourself on the floor out cold.'

'That's horrible!' Hermione hissed, though she was one of few who protested. Most seemed to think it was a fantastic and hilarious way to end this thing.

'You may happily note that the dummies are not programmed with any lethal spells and that Madam Pomfrey and several junior Healers from Saint Mungo's are ready and waiting to treat any injuries.'

She smiled as though that was supposed to reassure them. It didn't.

'As the day progresses, your rank will be displayed.' She pointed to a large piece of canvas hanging on the wall behind the staff. 'Tomorrow the sixth and seventh years will be tested and any students who demonstrate skills beyond that of their own year level will be tested again against the above year's dummies. Any questions? No? Good.'

And then McGonagall called the first name.

'Abercrombie, Euan.'

A terrified looking first year stood up in the stands and made his way to the platform. Harry could admit it was going to be tough being the first to be tested. He stepped up onto the platform and stood off to one side looking nervous. Ally smiled and then there was the sound of a gong and the training dummy leapt into action. The poor boy never saw it coming. Three spells and two minutes later he was being hauled off by Madam Pomfrey to be revived. The entire student body was silent, each hoping that he had just been a poor student. They were really, really hoping he was bad at Defense.

It wasn't pretty, that was the only way to describe the massacre that ensued. If there was anything to be said about Ally it was that she never did anything halfway. Just two first years managed to defeat their dummies and a few more second years pulled through as well. Madam Pomfrey was hovering anxiously on the sidelines waiting to remove the next unconscious and bloody student. It was obvious Dumbledore was in for an earful when this was all over for even consenting to this.

Hermione was refusing to look, instead burying her face in Ron's shoulder. Everyone else was having a great time. Each and every one of them was choosing to ignore the fact that eventually it would be their turn to face a dummy. In turn having their asses handed to them, no doubt, a lot quicker than they would have liked.

'Ha!' Abby cheered gleefully, when a third year Hufflepuff folded unconscious to the floor of the platform. 'Take that Rob!'

'Not a fan?' Ron asked in amusement.

Abby made a rather unladylike sound that had Emmy laughing.

'He asked her out,' Emmy explained, the sixth year Ravenclaw had been front and centre for that disaster.

Ron scrunched his nose up in confusion. 'He's thirteen!'

'Yes,' Emmy agreed. 'That was the problem.'

Abby nudged Emmy with an elbow and kicked Harry and Ron gently. 'Check it out,' she nodded to the platform. 'This Slytherin's not half bad.'

Not half bad turned out to mean whooping dummy ass. The third year girl had obviously taken everything she was taught to heart. Having first Lupin and then the fake Moody obviously helped. She dodged every spell the dummy shot at her and fired back just as many of her own, several of which hit their mark. She was good, more than good. A well placed stunner had the dummy turning red. Over the roar of the crowd Ron leaned forward in his seat and spoke in Daphne's ear.

'She on our side or _his_?'

Daphne raised an eyebrow down at the tiny third year but still answered his question.

'She's neutral,' she answered, eyes still on the Slytherin. 'Her parents are both pureblood but her older sister is married to a muggle. I'd say she'd work with us if it came down to it.'

Ron nodded. 'Doesn't want to show her colours in the Slytherin common room for fear of being killed or getting her family killed?'

'Yep.'

Ron nodded again and then leaned back and tossed one of Hermione's quills at Steven. Somewhere around the fifth second year student Hermione had withdrawn her face from Ron's shoulder and began the much more useful task of taking notes.

'Ow.' Steven rubbed his ear and glared at Ron. 'Mate, what the hell?'

'I want her.'

Steven gave Ron a look that quite clearly questioned his sanity and his idea of good looking. Ron tilted his head and glared at him for being so thick. Steven winced apologetically and then sighed heavily. He began to climb down toward the platform and cornered the Slytherin girl. Hermione, having just looked up from her notes, saw the entire exchange and found herself completely taken aback by the change she'd only just then noticed in Ron.

He was confident.

Ron had been many things before. He'd been quite a few things to Hermione that weren't exactly pleasant or flattering but never before had he had such an honest confidence. Whatever it was he was doing in the ADADA, and Hermione still had no idea, it had given him something he hadn't been able to find before.

She found she was even more attracted to him and that didn't exactly sit well with her. Ron turned back to her and frowned. To her horror she realized she'd been staring. She blushed and turned hurriedly back to the platform where a third year Gryffindor boy was being attacked by a rather powerful tickling charm. She hoped Ron hadn't noticed her staring. He hadn't. He had in fact found himself back in a whispered conversation with Daphne. Hermione scowled.

She forced herself to focus back on the third years getting beaten by the training dummies and taking enough detailed notes to not be one of them. By the time the last third year, Jonah Williams, had his ass handed to him she was focused entirely on the task at hand and was unaware of the unexpected flirtation going on beside her between Ron and Daphne.

'Lovegood, Luna.'

Upon hearing her name, Luna stood and walked calmly down to the platform. Half the crowd was laughing, having, in their minds; no doubt that Luna would not last long against her dummy. People always underestimated Luna, it was one of the reasons she was perfect for the ADADA. When her opponent appeared on the platform before her she studied it owlishly. She tilted her head with a look that suggested incomprehension and darted to the left avoiding a stunner. A quick step to the right and a slight jump had her avoiding a nastier body bind. She did not raise her wand, content to merely dodge the dummy's spells.

Just when it looked like the dummy was actually succeeding in experiencing frustration, a special feat given that it felt no emotion, Luna whipped out her wand and moved it in a complicated wiggle. The dummy fell over and turned red. She nodded in satisfaction and walked off the platform. Her name shot to number one.

'Nathan, Abigail.'

The general reaction to Abby's name being called was just a soft clap; she never had played well with others. From the ADADA the cheering was enormous. Harry even threw in a wolf whistle as she made her way down to the platform. She flipped him off and then got five points docked from her house when McGonagall yelled at her. With the exception of that minor incident, Abby looked the picture of innocence standing on the platform in pink Ugg boots and a black cardigan. Then she took off the cardigan and everyone got a nice long look at the back of her t-shirt. In flashing colours, in huge letters, were three Ws. Ron laughed and high-fived the twins.

Down on the platform Abby was showing off. She was twirling her wand between her fingers while she waited. She looked distracted and unaware but the moment the dummy "apparated" onto the platform she was ready. She fired the first spell, a cutting curse aimed at the dummies wand arm, before it could get her first. The dummy moved but not quite fast enough to dodge the curse completely. A deep cut appeared across the dummies bicep, it did not bleed. It did, however, fire back a curse of its own, a jelly legs jinx aimed at her feet. She easily sidestepped it and fired back two quick spells, a stunner and a tickling charm.

The dummy was fast, firing spell after spell at Abby forcing her to move quickly and erratically so as not to get hit. All the while she fired back spells of her own. A weak bludgeoning hex hit her in the chest and she fell heavily to the platform. She lay there breathing heavily for a second and then had to roll quickly to the side to avoid the heavy foot of the dummy.

She rolled quickly back again and then fired a curse at the only part of the dummy she could properly see, its crotch. She had to scramble out of the way when the heavy dummy crashed to the platform. The crowd exploded into cheers and Abby glanced up to see her name had moved into first place.

'Woo!' she shouted, pumping her fist in the air.

Ginny was the next member of the ADADA to face off against a dummy. Her test was the quickest by far. She strode onto the platform looking a little too combat ready for any fourteen year old girl. The moment the dummy's feet hit the ground she secured them to the floor with a sticking charm. She dodged the jinx it sent in return and hit it with a stunner so powerful it bent over backward. Unable to move its feet it slumped over at an awkward angle. It turned red.

Ginny pocketed her wand and walked off the platform to a stunned silence.


	30. Chapter 24

**a/n: **thanks so very much for all of the wonderful reviews. they definitely keep me going. this chapter was a bitch to write as i have actually been busy, a concept that has previously been foreign to me outside of that last week of uni when all the assignments are due and i haven't started them. anyway please let me know what you think. the next chappie is going to be awesome, at least i think so.

**Chapter 24**

Hermione was panicking. She failed to see how Ron and Harry could be so calm when it was just an hour, two at the most, before they would be stepping on to the platform and facing the dummies. She knew that the instruction they'd received under Professor Martin this year far surpassed that of their previous years but she still didn't feel ready. True, she had done everything Martin had instructed to catch up, and she was spending half an hour each night practicing the physical aspects of DADA but was it enough?

Her notes weren't much help and those who had already faced the dummies couldn't tell her more than how tough it was. Ginny had been no help at all. Of all the students to have faced the dummies that morning she'd had the least trouble but all she could tell Hermione was to go with her strengths. It was the advice Moody had given Harry before the first task last year but she felt it applied here as well. Unfortunately for Hermione, she felt her strength lay largely in books. So not much help there.

Ron was cool as a cucumber, laughing away with the other Gryffindor boys and that Ravenclaw sixth year, Emmy that Hermione didn't even know he knew. When she'd tried to ask him what he was planning on doing he'd told her that, until he could gauge the dummy's abilities properly, his only plan was a good shield charm. Hermione felt the need to point out that he'd never had much practice at shield charms and that he should keep something else in mind just in case. Ron had merely given her a secretive smile and gone back to his conversation with Emmy.

Harry, well, she hadn't expected Harry to be worried. With everything that he had been through over the last four years, he had gained a certain easy attitude towards anything that wasn't life threatening. Unlike Ron, Harry did not even have a plan, even one so simple as a shield charm. He'd shrugged when she asked him about it and informed her that the plan was to wing it. Then he'd been drawn into a conversation with the twins and Ginny about a new WWW product that, if she wasn't mistaken, actually sounded useful.

'Don't stress it, Granger; you'll only end up choking.'

Hermione looked up at the unfamiliar voice and found that it was Harry's little fourth year friend Abigail. Hermione had never actually met Abby, she'd only been lucky enough to witness several bizarre encounters that gave off the odd appearance of sibling affection. Not for the first time Hermione wished she was a member of the ADADA. Both Harry and Ron were making friends with such a diverse group of people and she knew, just from the odd overheard conversation, that they were learning a great deal. Unfortunately, she had yet to overhear anything that could actually tell her what it was that the ADADA did.

'You're Abigail, right?'

Abby nodded. 'That's me.'

'You were brilliant against your dummy,' Hermione complimented. 'I think you were the first person to truly put up a fight for the dummies.'

Abby laughed. 'It was a bit of a slaughter wasn't it? Martin definitely knows what she's doing.'

'You don't think it's a bit extreme?' Hermione was interested to hear a non Gryffindor opinion of Professor Martin's teaching ability. So far all she'd heard was raving compliments and several dozen rather lewd comments by the male population of Hogwarts.

'I think extreme is what we need right now. Voldemort's back and life is going to be hell around here soon enough. Without Martin making us work our butts off we wouldn't stand a chance. I don't want to go home this summer and not know how to help my family should Death Eaters attack. If throwing us in the deep end is the way to make us capable then that's the way I want it.'

Hermione nodded, it wasn't like she could disagree with what Abby was saying it was just that she wished they'd had more warning. Harry laughed loudly, drawing Hermione's attention. She studied his profile while he shoved Ginny, lunch had long since been cleared away and now the whole school was just sitting around relaxing on the picnic blankets.

'He's not even worried,' she muttered, mildly put out.

'He's got no reason to be,' Abby replied. 'He's Harry Potter. He's worked harder than anyone to prepare for what's to come; something like a fifth year dummy isn't going to be much of a struggle.'

With another shrug Abby got up and wandered off to find some of her friends. Hermione watched her change direction suddenly and throw herself down next to Daphne Greengrass and strike up a conversation, nicely cutting off one of Daphne's Slytherin friends. Martin's ADADA was definitely changing things for the better. Just a quick glance around showed that students from different houses were mingling far more than they had in previous years. Though it couldn't all be attributed to Ally, her tough approach to inter house rivalry, consisting of the much scarier threat of being that classes volunteer for spell demonstration, was working wonders.

Hermione just couldn't hold a grudge. She still spent a great deal of time in the library studying Martin but so far the most she'd been able to uncover was a trail leading through every department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry and had hit a brick wall when she got to the years Martin spent in the Department of Mysteries. Hermione had been expecting as much, the huge cloud of secrecy hovering over that department meant the most Hermione could do was look further back to find the dates Martin joined.

It was weird how far back the records went though, almost as if… Something tugged at Hermione's memory. And her hair. Ron was pulling her hair, trying to get her attention. She slapped his hand away and ignored his hurt yelp.

'C'mon, Hermione,' Harry laughed, shoving Ron, who gave him a fake wounded look. 'It's time to face the dummy.'

And Hermione forgot all about whatever connection her mind was about to make as full blown panic took over and she focused all of her thoughts on just breathing.

Hannah Abbott went first. She lasted six minutes before she was hit with a stunner and fell to the floor. Susan Bones lasted thirteen minutes and four seconds before she was tripped up by a tripping jinx, and clobbered in the head with a sharp kick. Lavender Brown lasted just two minutes before she caught a cleverly timed binding spell and toppled to the platform bound by thick ropes. Crabbe didn't even last that long, falling prey to a summoning charm that whipped the wand right out of his hand and a stunner he wasn't quite able to dodge. Hermione sat on the bench between Harry and Ron wringing her hands nervously. Harry was reminded strongly of Dobby and had to suppress a grin.

'Granger, Hermione.'

Hermione whimpered and shrank back into her seat forcing Harry and Ron to seize an elbow each and shove her to her feet. She muttered spells under her breath as she walked toward the platform. From their position in the middle row it was easy for Harry and Ron, and just about everyone else for that matter, to see she was shaking. She waited at one end of the platform, eyes never leaving the spot the dummy would appear. She stood with her feet apart, knees slightly bent so she was ready to move and her wand held tightly in her hand.

The dummy appeared.

And Hermione felt her mind quiet. She felt all her fears disappear; there was no room for nerves in this. She leapt to the right, avoiding a jet of flame and fired a stunner. The dummy deflected it with a shield charm and fired off several basic curses in quick succession. She didn't even have time to identify all of them and didn't have the advantage of hearing them as the dummies were mute. She dodged and weaved and fired spell after spell at the dummy. It wasn't long before she felt herself tiring; all of that time she spent inside with her books was working against her now. She needed to end things fast or the dummy would win through simple endurance.

Hermione's eyes searched for a way to end things while she continued to dodge and block the dummy's spells. Her breathing was labored and sweat was beading on her forehead when she finally found the in she was looking for. She fired without hesitation, sending a complicated entanglement jinx she'd come across while reading the sixth year text. Her spell hit its target and the dummy collapsed its arms and legs snapping together, bound by invisible bonds. Hermione stood perfectly still, breathing heavily, for a few moments. It was almost as though she expected it to get back up.

Eventually the sound of the crowd made its way through the haze the fight had induced and she looked up to see most of the school applauding her. She started to blush and glanced up at the ranking. She was number two. That rankled a bit but she couldn't deny that Ginny had been good.

'See, Hermione,' Ron grinned, when she took her seat again. 'Nothing to it.'

'Right,' Hermione panted. 'That was easy.'

'I think that was sarcasm,' Ginny noted, looking at Hermione around Ron. 'Cheer up Hermione, it's over now.'

Hermione nodded and went back to catching her breath. She did find it a lot easier to join the rest of the school cheering now that her turn had come and gone.

'Malfoy, Draco.'

There was a lot of booing as Malfoy strutted toward the platform with a smug smile. He obviously was under the impression that unlike his fellow classmates who, in his opinion, were unworthy and untalented fools, he was sure to find the task of overpowering his dummy simple. Ron growled down at Malfoy and then glared at the back of Daphne's head. She'd absently reached back and patted his knee consolingly and he wasn't sure if she was humoring him or what.

'Bloody git,' said Harry. 'Idiot's not going to last very long with an attitude like that.'

'Like that's a bad thing,' Ron pointed out.

'True.'

Harry laughed for a full five minutes when it was all over. Hermione was forced to cast a silencing charm around him so he wouldn't disturb anyone. To say that Malfoy had been put in his place was an understatement. To say that he'd been slaughtered was too kind. What the smug Slytherin fifth year actually experienced down on the platform was supreme humiliation at its finest. Happily (for the crowd) there was a lot of blood.

Malfoy took his usual smug approach to the test. It was oddly reminiscent of the time in third year when he had ignored Hagrid's warning and ended up with a giant gash in his arm. He strutted on to the platform smiling like it was all some sort of joke. He even fired the first spell. Not that it helped. For all his smug, pureblood, "superiority" he really didn't last long. Every spell he fired was blocked or dodged, every thing fired at him came faster and stronger than he was expecting. It took all of two spells and forty two seconds to wipe the smug smile off his pale face.

It took seven minutes and thirty-eight seconds for Malfoy to end up on the receiving end of three bludgeoning hexes, a cutting curse, two scorching hexes and a tickling jinx. By the time he was felled by a sleep spell, he was bleeding profusely from a deep cut on his chest, an angry looking head wound that had him swaying and three of his fingers were pointing the wrong way. He went the way of everyone else, carted off on a stretcher to the hospital wing unconscious bleeding and ranking in at just number six. No one had yet been able to bump Ginny out of first place and Abby was still holding strong at number three.

'Jeez, check out the look on Snape's face!' Fred laughed.

Sitting amongst the teachers, Snape had taken on a look that was strongly reminiscent of someone sucking on lemon. McGonagall was attempting to console him on the loss of one of Slytherin's "prize" students. Her attempts were somewhat hampered by her obvious amusement at seeing the self appointed prince of Slytherin taken down a peg or four.

'Who cares about Snape,' George laughed delightedly. 'Look at all the Slytherins!'

Across the Great Hall a sea of Slytherin students were scowling darkly at any student who dared to point out just how pathetic Malfoy's performance had been. One laughing seventh year along the row from Harry was laughing about the terrified and tearful look on Malfoy's face right before the end.

'Honestly,' Daphne sneered. 'Draco is nothing but a pureblood rich boy with the misguided view that he is some how important in the scheme of things. Just because daddy's a Death Eater, he thinks he rules the whole damn house.'

'Not after this he won't.'

'Bet you five galleons Dumbledore hears a complaint from daddy dearest by Monday,' Daphne offered Ron.

'Ha!' he scoffed. 'Malfoy won't last that long, old Malfoy Senior will be banging on Dumbledore's door tomorrow night.'

'You're on,' Daphne agreed, shaking Ron's hand.

'He better be,' Harry muttered to the twins, under cover of the loud applause being given to the second fifth year to defeat their dummy. 'He hasn't got five galleons.'

Through the sudden silence, you could hear the twins laughing. Harry looked around confused but it seemed the rest of the school paid more attention than he did. They were keeping an eye on the order of things.

'Potter, Harry.'

It was Harry's turn.


	31. Chapter 25

**a/n: **well here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for. I hope it lives up to your expectations and doesn't dissapoint. There are still one or two chapters of the test to go but at least you'll get to see Harry face off against his dummy. special thanks to everyone who went the extra mile and reviewed, it was as always much appreciated and made me all giddy like. let me know how i did with this one but most importnantly enjoy it!

**Chapter 25**

Dumbledore was a very old and wise man. He had seen a lot in his lifetime that had given him cause to label the world barmy and move on. He had been witness to hundreds of children growing up and seen more than his share of battles. Some where victory came at a great cost, others where that cost had almost been worth it. He had known many men and women, Aurors for the Ministry and dueling champions. He thought he had seen enough in his life to know what came next.

And then fifteen year old Harry Potter stepped onto a platform in the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry didn't know what to expect, he'd almost thought Ally would skip right on passed his name. He knew, logically, that she couldn't do that because that alone would raise questions but his facing the dummy would raise questions all on its own. A little suspicious of what she had in store, he made his way down the rows and toward the platform. Around him the Great Hall was filled with whispers, no doubt everyone was discussing whether he would defeat his dummy and whether or not he would prove his worth or turn out like Malfoy and be completely humiliated.

This didn't bother Harry one bit, mostly because half the members of the ADADA and those he shared DADA with were hiding themselves behind hurriedly erected shield charms. It was drawing them some funny looks but they didn't seem to notice. What did bother him was the smug look Ally gave him as he walked passed her. That was more worrying than a bit more gossip amongst the students. This particular version of her smug look was one he was all too familiar with and was usually followed by something he didn't like or Ruby. He had yet to figure out why the two looks were the same but he was working on it.

He stood slightly to the left of the platforms centre so he was closer to Ally as it was best to keep an eye on her at all times when that smirk was in play. There was no doubting, even in the minds of those Slytherin students who so loathed him, that he looked an intimidating sight. Black jeans, dragon hide boots and a black t-shirt that also sported the WWW logo in flashing colours gave him that edgy look usually reserved for people you expect to smoke cigarettes at an early age and steal things. The suspicious look he was giving off also helped with the intimidation factor.

Ally clicked her fingers and the Death Eater dummy "apparated" onto the platform. Harry hit it with a nifty little blasting curse he'd found in Ally's DADA text book, the one she'd used when she was in her seventh year. Then he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck while the crowd of students and teachers were forced to duck and cover their heads. Little splinters of his dummy rained down over the Great Hall.

'Err, maybe that was a bit stronger than I thought.'

He turned to Ally with a bit of a laugh and gave her an amused smile. The crowd around him had recovered from the sudden shower of splinters and was staring at him, eyes wide and mouths hanging open. He honestly hadn't intended to hit the dummy that hard but it was the first opportunity he'd had to test out that spell and he'd obviously forgotten how strong he actually was. It had been a while since he'd fought anyone who wasn't a Death Eater or highly trained Ministry workers like Ruby and Ally.

The sudden tingling sensation on the back of his neck was all the warning he got. Harry threw himself flat as a spell shot through where his head had been just moments before and struck a seventh year Hufflepuff in the chest. He spun around quickly and found another dummy bearing down on him. He moved quickly, springing to his feet and firing off a bludgeoning hex. The dummy dodged the spell and shot a disarming spell at him. Harry ducked and hit it with a severing charm that cut it straight down the middle from head to groin.

He waited. And waited. And then got attacked from behind by a dummy that was obviously covered in silencing charms.

'Alexandria Leah Martin, you are a dead woman!' Harry shouted as he flipped the dummy that had tried to grab him in a headlock.

'Dummy first!' she called back.

A more advanced dummy he could have expected but a steady stream of Merlin knew how many dummies, was new. Only Ally could be that annoying. He loved her for it, really he did. Just not while he was fighting a dummy that seemed to prefer the muggle style of hand to hand combat over spells and charms.

'How many are there?'

Harry caught the dummy's extended leg before it could connect and tossed it back, throwing the dummy off balance. He followed it forward and kicked it, keeping it distracted while he whipped out his wand and hit it with a banishing charm that caused another splinter shower. They weren't even particularly difficult dummies either. What the hell Ally was up to was the question in the forefront of his mind.

'That would be cheating,' she informed him.

Another dummy lunged at him, almost before it had finished materializing. It kicked him in the chest and shot a stunner at him in the next moment. Harry stumbled backward, taking the kick and using the momentum to create enough room between them for his shield charm. They were close enough that the spell deflected straight back on its owner. The dummy dropped and was immediately replaced by another. This dummy lasted just as long as the others and Harry was able to get behind it. A sharp twist and the head came free in his arms. The body dropped and Harry waited expectantly for the next attack.

It didn't come.

He kicked the body of the dummy away and tossed the head over his shoulder. He didn't even notice the silence of the crowd as his eyes were focused solely on his girlfriend and her stupid smug smile. He stalked toward her across the platform, oblivious to the astonished spluttering coming from the teachers table.

'What the hell was that?' Harry demanded.

'I would also like an explanation.'

Harry didn't jump, but he did give a barely noticeable startled twitch in Dumbledore's direction as he swooped down on Ally.

'That was a fifth year dummy, two sixth year and two seventh year dummies,' she responded with a shrug. 'I'm going to have to do some work with another dummy for tomorrow as you went through those nice and quick.'

Harry gave her a blank look, not quite sure how he was supposed to respond to that. Dumbledore studied his young DADA professor with a frown.

'Am I to understand Professor Martin that Harry has just defeated the dummies intended for not only his fellow fifth years but the sixth and seventh years as well?'

Harry glared at her. This was just what they needed, a highly suspicious Dumbledore with evidence to prove that something wasn't quite right with Harry.

'Yes, sir.' She pointed to the students' ranks on the canvas above the teachers section and both Harry and Dumbledore turned to look. Harry's score was ten times that of any other student's and the difference was such that he'd been placed much further up the canvas than the actual ranking, leaving Ginny with the technical title of first place.

'What, I don't get a ranking?'

Ally gave him a pointed look and turned back to face her boss. 'I didn't think it was fair to compare the other students to Harry, I wanted to get a more accurate look at what he can do.'

'You lying, cow,' Harry muttered, she just had to open her mouth and dig a deeper and deeper hole.

'Mr Potter!' McGonagall shouted and Harry jumped a foot in the air. Give him a Death Eater any day but McGonagall stilled managed to scare the hell out of him. 'Five points from Gryffindor for your disrespect of a teacher.'

'Sorry, professor,' Harry replied, not sounding sorry at all. 'Can I go back to my seat now? Only, I want to see Ron face his dummy before dinner.'

McGonagall glared at him and Harry had to fight not to take a step back. Ally swallowed a laugh while Dumbledore braved whatever it was that had kept him from looking Harry in the eyes. He gave Harry a piercing blue stare that Harry assumed was supposed to make him break and divulge all of his secrets. He raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Dumbledore and ignored the gentle probing he could feel in his mind.

'I wouldn't try it, sir,' Ally advised. 'You'll just end up with a headache.'

Dumbledore jumped, eyes darting away from Harry's. He frowned at Ally but then turned back to McGonagall and motioned for her to precede him to the teachers section.

'Let us continue with this delightful tournament.'

Harry rolled his eyes at Ally behind Dumbledore's back and inadvertently was caught by Snape who, for just a moment and we're talking infinitesimal, almost appeared to smile. There was a quirk of the lips and that threw Harry more than anything else that had happened today. Disturbed, Harry hurried back to his seat and ignored all the people staring at him or hurriedly moving aside to let him through. Hermione opened her mouth.

'Not now, Hermione!' Harry hissed.

Hermione's mouth shut with a snap and after giving him a few moments of suspicious glare she turned back to watch the next fifth year getting pushed face first into the platform by a heavy dummy foot. Harry shifted uncomfortably under the weight of many stares. Most students kept turning away from the platform to shoot him furtive glances. He didn't need to lock eyes with anyone to know what he would see. Some would be scared, most likely the younger students who had never spent much time with him. Some would be suspicious, likely wondering if he had cheated in some way to bring the spotlight back on him. The rest would be envious, wondering at the ease with which he had dispatched his five dummies.

'Weasley, Ronald.'

Ron didn't show anywhere near the level of confidence Malfoy had shown but he did almost strut down to the platform. Harry snorted, Daphne rolled her eyes and Emmy and Abby exchanged amused looks. Ron stepped on to the platform and performed a quick spell before turning back and walking off the platform. There was some jeering as people thought he had chickened out. Then he walked passed Ally and she held up her hand for a high five.

'Nice,' she congratulated.

'I try,' Ron grinned.

On the score board his name rocketed up to number four and quite a few people were looking around trying to figure out what had happened. Dumbledore was chuckling and was the first to start clapping. The rest of the school followed suit, somewhat hesitantly as they had no idea what had happened.

'A perfectly executed anti-apparation jinx, Mr Weasley!' Dumbledore shouted above the rather quiet clapping.

Ron turned and offered a slight bow before returning to his seat with a grin.

**

* * *

**

That night, long after the tournament had finished and the Great Hall had been returned to its former state for dinner, Dumbledore sat behind his desk staring thoughtfully down at his pensieve. In it the memory of Harry's fight swirled around like liquid. He had been staring at it for some time and had yet to build up the courage to watch it. Every moment, every second, was etched into his memory with clarity most would assume a man of his age lacked. There was nothing forgettable about this memory, nothing forgettable about the moment. Harry Potter was truly an extraordinary boy.

That was what worried him.

Across from him Snape sat staring into the fire with what may have, to the trained eye, been a bored look. He was curious about Harry as well but not curious enough to feel that secret midnight meetings with the headmaster were warranted. He was using the time to strengthen his Occlumency shields as he had no doubt this was one memory the Dark Lord could never see. He may not have liked the boy, but he was Lily's son and quite possibly the wizarding worlds only hope of defeating the Dark Lord. Snape glanced across the desk to see if Dumbledore had moved from his position, elbows resting on the desk, chin on steeped fingers. He hadn't so Snape turned back to the fire.

Clothed in her tartan dressing gown McGonagall remained quiet in her chair beside Snape. She was, truth be told, falling asleep. She'd been keeping and eye on Harry ever since Ally first approached her about starting the ADADA and it had only taken her two transfiguration lessons and a quick word with her fellow professors to come to the conclusion that Harry had not spent his summer sitting idle waiting for news. He'd sought training, he'd studied hard. She failed to see, like Snape, why this warranted a midnight chat.

Ginny wasn't asleep. She was in fact playing the most dangerous game of solitaire ever played. She was playing it with exploding snap cards on top of a low cabinet Dumbledore used to keep rare books in. She was disillusioned and cloaked in silencing charms, shield charms, secrecy charms and the invisibility cloak. She was so well hidden it may even take the Marauders map a couple of tries to locate her. It hadn't. Harry had taken great pride in his fathers' spellmanship when the map located Ginny without trouble. Still, there was no chance of the three professors having the emergency pow wow, locating her.

Now if they would only get to the point of this meeting.

It was McGonagall who broke the silence. 'Honestly, Albus, are we here for a reason? Tomorrow is going to be a long enough day as is. I have no doubt we will be receiving many complaints from parents so may I suggest we do this tomorrow at a better time?'

Ginny turned to watch, catching the stern look her transfiguration teacher was giving Dumbledore. Ginny was left in no doubt that Dumbledore had just unknowingly handed over control of this meeting. She was also ridiculously thankful that tomorrow it was Fred who was on Dumbledore duty.

'I fear you're right, Minerva,' Dumbledore sighed heavily.

In a weird, more accurately terrifying, moment Ginny and Snape rolled their eyes in sync.

'Perhaps tomorrow we will be able to make sense of the mystery young Harry has become.'

Ginny was pretty sure every previous headmaster still awake joined her and Snape in the eye rolling this time around. Professor McGonagall stood stiffly and exited with a sharp goodnight to Dumbledore. Snape swept out of the room immediately after her. It was a pity Ginny didn't get the chance to follow them as they exchanged a hurried and whispered conversation about Dumbledore's increasing senility. But Ginny didn't follow them; she had to wait another fifteen minutes while Dumbledore returned the pensive to its cabinet and blew out the candles. Once he'd gone Ginny hopped down from the cabinet and gathered her cards.

'How goes the bum?' Anadina joked from her portrait.

Ginny didn't bother to question why this particular portrait could see her. Or how it was that she even knew about the numb bum conversation for that matter.

'Numb as ever,' she replied smartly. 'Goodnight, Madam Smith.'

'Goodnight, Ginny dear.'

**a/n: **special thanks must be given to karlii, oceanlover14 and well a couple of others honestly who asked me about whether or not harry would defeat his dummy quickly or face a more adavnced one. it was karlii's review that, for no reason in particular spurned me to do it the way i did. no idea why, its best not to question the crazy when it works.


	32. Chapter 26

**a/n: **this chapter very nearly killed me please let me know what you think as i struggled endlessly until eventually giving up and posting what i had. as always thank you to all of my beautiful wonderful and loving reviewers.

**Chapter 26**

It was fifteen minutes until breakfast was due to start and Malfoy was pacing back and forth in front of the majority of Slytherin house in the Slytherin common room. His arms were gesticulating wildly and his face was slightly flushed. Daphne was about ready to hex him into a coma and drop him in the lake. One of Malfoy's fists was gripping a copy of a letter his father had sent him and he was regaling the Slytherin's with a list of Harry's pathetic ass kissing qualities and his own wonderful pureblood ones. Given that pureblood superiority was a common trait amongst Slytherin's Daphne felt Malfoy should at least be congratulated on managing to get every Slytherin, even those who hated Harry on principle, on Harry's side.

She'd never seen so many seventh years fingering their wands and rolling their eyes. Prince of Slytherin, Malfoy was no longer. Even the name Malfoy couldn't sway over the old families after yesterday's abysmal performance. Malfoy, so wrapped up in his "when my father gets here rant" hadn't noticed half of Slytherin house slipping out of the common room. He also didn't notice Daphne innocently sticking her foot out to trip him. He did notice when he tumbled to the floor and was suddenly surrounded by angry and fed up seventh years and a happily smug Daphne. Daphne snatched up the letter from Lucius Malfoy and scanned its contents.

'Is your father aware of who is teaching Defense this year?' she asked casually.

Malfoy glared at her but with six wands and a stern glare being pointed at him he wasn't about to argue. 'He knows she's a stupid, over confident witch, with stories as bad as Lockhart.'

Daphne, who had always been given everything she could ask for in life, had never truly understood when people described good things happening like Christmas coming early. Now, thanks to Malfoy, she could understand the saying perfectly.

'Oh, this is going to be so fun.'

**

* * *

**The excitement surrounding day two of the Defense Against the Dark Arts tournament was such that just three people at Hogwarts read the _Daily Prophet_ that morning. Hermione wasn't even one of them as she was preoccupied with both freaking out and being annoyed. Susan Bones was the only student who bothered to read her copy of the _Prophet_ and as such was the only student aware of Bianca Days latest article.

Unfortunate really as it was her best and most important article to date. It was unedited, unfinished and had been sent in from no one knew where. Bianca Days had gone missing; a note attached to the beginning of the article stated that it had been sent to Bianca's brother asking that he forward it to the _Daily Prophet_. In the article, Days had listed every attack the Death Eaters had participated in, every accident they had been the cause of and she had the evidence to back it up. Bianca Days had done what no other reporter or journalist had been able to do. She had provided thorough evidence to support her claims and even went so far as to demand answers from the Ministry for their failure to take action against the looming threat.

This article was everything Harry needed to whip the wizarding world into action. It was everything that Dumbledore had been working toward. Such a pity it was squished in the opinion page between a rant from Mrs. Gillyhaven about illegal dragon breeding and a complaint from an inn keeper in Bath about the rising price of Firewhiskey. Still, it was a good article and Susan felt sure she could put it to good use.

She made dozens of copies, gave them to the house elves and made sure they were posted in all of the house common rooms. She sent copies to every wizarding magazine, including _Witch Weekly _and _The Quibbler_, she could think of. She sent copies to her aunt and made a special point of sending an annotated copy to Minister Fudge. She may not have been good at the physical aspects of Defense but there was a reason she was a part of the ADADA. It was time Susan played her part.

**

* * *

**

Hermione was furious. She was also refusing to speak to Ron which he was okay with. As long as she wasn't talking to him, she also wasn't lecturing him about unfair advantages and not telling her how easy it could be to defeat her dummy. So while Hermione sulked and refused to speak to any of the people seated in the stands around her, the people around her happily chatted away about just about anything.

'What's got you so smug?' Ron asked Daphne suspiciously.

Daphne, who was seated behind him, draped her arms over his shoulders and sighed happily. 'Malfoy wrote to daddy dearest last night and he should be here some time this morning.'

'And this is a good thing, why?' Ron frowned back at her, not even noticing the way Hermione had taken a brief respite from her furious silence to glare suspiciously at Daphne and Ron.

'Remember that run in Harry had with Lucius during the summer?'

Ron's confusion turned quickly into a smug grin that mirrored Daphne's perfectly. 'This is going to be bloody brilliant.'

And it was. Sort of. Just moments before the first sixth year was set to face her dummy the doors to the Great Hall burst open and Lucius Malfoy strode in with his son trailing smugly behind him. It was the kind of dramatic entrance that takes meticulous planning and an ego the size of Europe. The occupants of the Great hall stopped talking to watch as Dumbledore met Lucius and his son half way. Lucius had on his usual superior smile and he greeted Dumbledore amicably or as amicably as it is possible to be while wishing the other a slow and painful death. No one noticed Harry rise from the stands and make his way towards them. Except for Daphne who nudged Ron's shoulder with her chin. She never had gotten around to removing her arms from his shoulders.

'Ah, Lucius, wonderful to see you.'

'How unfortunate it is not under better circumstances,' Lucius remarked dryly.

'And what circumstances would those be?' Harry interrupted coldly.

Lucius jumped a foot in the air but chose not to acknowledge it. He turned to face Harry and snarled.

'That, Potter, is none of your business,' Malfoy returned with a glare.

'Funny that,' Harry said conversationally, never taking his eyes off Malfoy senior. He didn't need to in order to know that Ally was coming up behind him or that they were the centre of attention.

'How's that shoulder coming, Lucius?' Ally queried when she came to a stop beside Harry.

'You!'

'Me,' Ally acknowledged. 'Might I suggest, Lucius, that you leave before Harry here decides it was a mistake to leave you your arm.'

'You dare threaten my father!' the younger Malfoy snapped. 'Don't you know who he is?'

Ally looked the younger Malfoy up and down with a disappointed coldness and then eyed Lucius the same way.

'I'm well aware of who and what your father is, Draco,' Ally answered. 'And I have a history of being very unkind and often violent to those Death Eaters I arrest.'

'Most of them end up dead,' Harry offered helpfully. 'I'm still finding bits of McNair in my boots.'

Dumbledore frowned at Harry while both Malfoy's turned a little green. Ally gave him a bemused smile.

'What?' Harry demanded. 'Brain matter gets everywhere.'

Ally probably should have stopped him from talking but as she wanted Dumbledore's attention focused solely on Harry for the time being she thought it best she just left him to dig a bigger hole. Harry caught her eye and winked. Dumbledore opened his mouth to say something, remembered the shower of splinters he'd experienced yesterday and decided against it.

'Perhaps, we should move this discussion to my office,' Dumbledore suggested to Lucius, though his eyes never left Harry. 'We seem to be interrupting the Defense Against the Dark Arts testing.'

He didn't look happy about it but Lucius was unwilling to make any more of a scene, especially given the way Harry was looking at him. There was something about the smirk on Harry's face that screamed if you do not get out of my way I will personally make sure your limbs part with your body slowly and painfully. Lucius offered Harry one last glare and followed after Dumbledore.

'Well, that was disappointing.'

Ally patted his shoulder as she wandered back toward McGonagall and the first sixth year was called up. Harry returned to his seat in the stands and shared a disappointed sigh with Daphne.

'I had such high hopes,' she said dramatically.

'Yeah, me too,' Ron agreed.

'Oh, lighten up!' Ginny rolled her eyes at her two friends and brother. 'Can you imagine what old Lucius will do to Malfoy after he finds out what happened yesterday?'

All three brightened up considerably and returned their attention to cheering on the sixth years. It seemed the sixth years had taken everything that happened the day before to heart and were putting up an impressive fight against their dummies. Just over half of the sixth years managed to defeat their dummies, half of those scoring enough to face a seventh year dummy after lunch, Emmy amongst them. The seventh years progressed along the same lines, though the twins, by far were the best.

While Ginny maintained her place in first position the twins bumped Hermione from her second place spot, disturbingly scoring equal points despite using different spells to defeat their dummies. Emmy nudged in at third and a seventh year managed to make it to fifth place. Much to Ron's annoyance, the morning saw him lose his place in fourth position and drop back to tenth. Hermione was a bit smug about that and actually broke her angry silence to offer him some sharp words.

'See, Ron, you should have worked harder.'

Ron rolled his eyes and Hermione's smug smile faltered when both Daphne and Emmy leant forward to place a consoling kiss on each of his cheeks.

They broke for lunch. And then started all over again with those skilled enough to need a tougher dummy.

'This is going to work a little differently,' Ally announced once everyone had settled back into the Great Hall. 'If you were good enough to defeat your dummy and did it well enough to face a tougher opponent you will get up on the platform and face dummy after dummy until you get defeated or stop scoring enough. Very much like what Harry Potter did yesterday. Understood?'

There was the general sound of a hundred plus students noncommittally agreeing and Ally rolled her eyes.

'Jeez, way to sound enthusiastic.'

The enthusiasm only showed when the students were cheering and even then it was shouts of encouragement and a lot of wincing. Round two of the testing was brutal, quite possibly worse than round one. The few first years who managed to defeat their dummies the day before lasted just moments against the second year dummies. The same went for the second years, in fact the first person being retested to actually put up a fight was Jessica, the third year Slytherin girl who had peaked Ron's interest. Jessica fought hard to hold off her dummy but in the end, after a fight that lasted nearly fifteen whole minutes, she was felled by a stunner.

Abby was a whole other story. When her name was called she stomped down onto the platform and kicked dummy ass. The fifth year dummy she was facing went down hard after a ten minute struggle and Abby had just seconds to catch her breath before a sixth year dummy was bearing down on her. She put up a good fight, firing hexes, curse and jinxes in rapid succession, barely giving the dummy a chance to fire back its own spells. In the end it was a sharp kick to her left knee and an elbow to the head that sent her down.

Luna met her match in a sixth year dummy. She put up a fight, dodging spells and firing back her own but in the end the match was too close. She took the dummy down with a cutting curse but not by a high enough point margin to warrant facing a sixth year dummy. She was breathing heavily and sweating when she took her seat in the stands. Hermione offered her a cool glass of water that she'd quickly conjured. Luna smile gratefully.

And then came little Ginny Weasley.

Ginny's fight wasn't just brutal; it was a massacre of dummy limbs, blood and sweat. Her first fight, the one against the fifth year dummy, went much the same as her fight against the fourth year one the day before. A quick flick of the wrist and a dodge to the right and the dummy was down. Dummy number two, the sixth year one was quicker. It dodged her spells, threw up ridiculously strong shield charms and attacked her physically. They struggled back and forth until finally a well placed severing charm took out the dummy's knees. Ginny lay panting on the platform and then had to roll suddenly to avoid dummy number three's foot.

It was this dummy, the seventh year one that proved her downfall. After struggling back and forth for eight minutes and thirty nine seconds Ginny went down hard. The dummy swept her feet out from under her and hit her in the chest with a sleep spell. She hit her head hard when she went down and Madam Pomfrey had to hurry her off to the hospital wing. Ginny was doing everything she could to hold onto her top ranking but she slipped down to second behind a seventh year.

Hermione, like Ginny, found her downfall in the seventh year dummies. She also put up a fight but in the end it was too much. Daphne Greengrass managed to defeat a seventh year dummy but didn't score the necessary points to fight anything of a higher level. She slumped back into her seat behind Ron looking flushed and exhausted. Hermione conjured another glass of water while Emmy rubbed Daphne's back soothingly.

'That was a bitch,' Daphne moaned. 'I ache all over.'

'Me too,' Hermione groaned, she'd started talking to her friends once she'd fought. She didn't see the point in holding a grudge after that.

'I feel for you,' Harry told them. 'But it's my turn now and Merlin knows what she's got in store for me now.'

What she had in store for Harry was a dummy that looked suspiciously like Tonks. It wasn't a Death Eater look alike; it was a small and faster dummy that had pink hair.

'Tonks?' he shouted incredulously as he ducked a very powerful stinging hex that burned a hole in the platform behind him. 'You made a replica Tonks?'

Harry ducked a flying ball of green slime that he assumed was supposed to impair his vision. It was a nifty trick and he was definitely going to look that one up.

'Made one of Ruby too!'

Harry didn't like the sound of that but Dummy Tonks was keeping him on his toes. He'd never fought Tonks before but it wouldn't surprise him if Ally had made a list of all the spells she knew. Dummy Tonks used a combination of physical attacks and spells. The spells were ones that would have done the Weasley twins proud as they combined practical jokes with serious spells that were powerful enough to take off Harry's head if he wasn't careful.

Harry hadn't had so much fun since Ally had stopped being able to fight him. He dodged spells, flung back ones of his own and exercised his hand to hand skills. Fourteen minutes and sixteen seconds of non-stop, teeth and claw fighting and Harry was grinning like an idiot. He probably shouldn't have been enjoying it so much but what the hell. He was made for the fight, the rush of adrenalin and doing it with the knowledge that the world wasn't going to end if he lost made it all the sweeter.

And then Dummy Tonks went down and an instant later Harry was parrying blows from a dummy that, true to Ally's words, resembled Ruby to a tee. Harry was actually laughing by the time he pinned Dummy Ruby to the floor with a knee to the chest and wand pointed at its throat. A quick stunner and he was done. He rolled off her and lay back on the platform, letting the cheers of the crowd leak through to his ears for the first time. He breathed deeply and tried to shake the happy smile but it refused to move. A hand appeared in his line of vision and he let Ally pull him up.

'I missed that,' Harry admitted.

'Me too, just two more months and I'll be back to wiping the floor with you.'

'Can't wait.'


	33. Chapter 27

**a/n: **the support i'm getting from all of you regarding this fic is blowing me away. to celebrate i bring you longer chapters. enjoy it while it lasts. i hope you like this chapter and as always please let me know your thoughts, i'll even settle for a simple "good but now i'm hungry" (i suggest not asking). thank you thank you thank you to my wonderful readers, reviewers and lurkers extraordinaire.

**Chapter 27**

Breakfast on Monday morning bought with it several welcome letters from home and a letter from Dumbledore that Harry had honestly been expecting the night before. He read that one first as it had been hand delivered by a nervous and awestruck second year who stood staring at Harry for a full minute before Ron told her to scram. The note was a simple demand to be in the headmaster's office at seven o'clock and a post script that contained the password.

'The man has an obsession with sweets,' Harry muttered in annoyance.

Ron nodded his agreement and took a large bite off the end of a strip of bacon. Hermione frowned at them both for the not-so-nice words to Dumbledore but couldn't really find it in her to disagree. Then half a dozen owls swooped down on Harry and he disappeared beneath a pile of quivering feathered bodies. He emerged several moments later with a fist full of letters, spitting out a mouth full of feathers. Ron roared with laughter and Hermione hid her smile behind the morning's copy of the _Daily Prophet_.

'What have you got there, mate?'

Harry glanced down at the pile of letters. There was a letter from Sirius, one from Ruby, a letter from Gringotts and a pink envelope with his name written in messy block letters that had to be from Lydia. Harry tossed the letter from Sirius across to Ron and opened the one from Ruby.

_Harry,_

_I'm coming. It will be when you least expect it and likely there will be a hug involved. Do you know how much work I've had to do to change all those birthday plans? I may have to kill Ally when this baby is born just to get her back. See if I ever plan her birthday party again. He-who-has-been-banished-to-Siberia has yet to return. Sucks but I'll get over it. Oh and if you get a letter from Gringotts about me its just saying that I'm using the money you gave me to pay for that stuff you asked me to do._

_Love,_

_Ruby._

Harry tossed the letter down on the table and picked up the one from Gringotts. Inside was a short formal letter letting him know that the funds had been transferred, per request, to the account of Miss Ruby Reid. That one hit the table as well and he picked up the letter from Lydia. This one was heavier than the others and when Harry opened it he discovered it contained several drawings and a wizarding photograph. The drawings were all of the Burrow and though they were quite rough they showed that Lydia was quite the talented artist. The photo, a colorful one, was of Lydia being chased around the kitchen of Grimmauld Place by a big black dog. Harry smiled widely and handed the photo across the table to Ron before turning to the letter.

_Dear Harry!_

_Mrs. Weasley is teaching me to cook. We made cupcakes and cookies yesterday and then we went to Snuffles house and he chased me around the house. We had lots of fun and Mrs. Weasley said we could visit again if I was good. Tomorrow she said she would take me into the village and we could have ice cream. I really like it here, everyone is nice to me and I don't have nightmares anymore. On Thursday Mr. Weasley even said he would take me to work with him. Thank you for rescuing me._

_Love,_

_Lydia_

It was a nice feeling, knowing that what he had done for Lydia was good for her. Given that the plan, when he went to the Nott family home, had been merely to confront her father, not rescue her from him he was glad things had worked out for her. Harry also couldn't help smiling at the family he was building himself. Not only did he have his horrible aunt, uncle and cousin but he now had a girlfriend, a baby on the way, wonderful friends and a godfather. If only Voldemort would drop dead of his own accord, then Harry could have the life he'd always dreamed of having.

Ron and Harry exchanged letters and Harry finally got around to reading the letter from his godfather. Ron snorted over the drawings Lydia sent Harry but did admit that he would be placing the one of the Burrow's exterior beside his bed. Shaking his head and laughing at his friend, Harry focused on the messy scrawl that was Sirius' handwriting.

_Harry,_

_I don't know how you did it and frankly until I can do something about it I don't want to know. But I can tell you this, what you did for Lydia was a good thing. You did good kid, but when you get home at Christmas you and I are going to talk. There are things I need to know and there are things you need to know. No more traipsing around playing the hero. Leave the fight to Dumbledore and the Order, at least until you know more anyway. Feel free to get as many detentions as you please, though try to stay out of the Forbidden Forest until you can transform into a big hairy beast and stay safe. Say hi to Hermione and Ron and tell Ginny and the twins I expect to hear about all the pranks they've pulled._

_Love, _

_Snuffles_

Feeling that this was a letter that Harry could share with Hermione and not raise too many awkward questions, he passed it to her. He ignored the twinge of guilt he got when he thought about all of the secrets he was keeping from her and all of the ones he was still keeping from Ron. When it came down to it, there was no reason he couldn't tell Ron the truth. He'd been great when Harry told him and the twins about Ally finding him over the summer and offering to train him up to protect himself. Ron had been and was continuing to be very supportive of Harry's decisions and actions regarding the war against Voldemort. He really should tell him the truth both about his relationship with Ally and his not-so-human nature. He was still going to put off telling Hermione for as long as possible but perhaps it was time he told his oldest friend everything.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted by Ally stomping down the row between the house tables towards him. She looked absolutely livid and Harry assumed, judging by the scrunched up parchment in her fist, that she'd just gotten some bad news in the morning mail. Hermione and Ron's discussion over the latest attempt by Fudge to discredit Dumbledore trailed off as Ally stopped behind Harry.

'Stupid, ignorant, blind fool!' she growled, thrusting the parchment toward Harry. 'Take my classes today, would you?'

'Sure.' Harry glanced down and after unfurling the parchment realized it was a copy of Ally's lesson plans for the day. 'Can I ask why?'

Ally rolled her eyes. 'Slight unfortunate side effect of the distract Dumbledore plan,' Ally explained. 'He may be focused on you but he had enough time to send an Order member to the house.'

'He what?!' Harry snarled, shooting a glare over Ally's shoulder at a poor unsuspecting Dumbledore. 'Did they get in?'

Ally smiled grimly. 'They're stuck in the wards in the foyer. Kipper is keeping an eye on them while Tilly came here to warn me.'

'Do you want me to go with you?' Harry asked. 'Ron can handle your classes for today.'

Ron's ears turned pink and he sat up straighter, flushed with pride that Harry thought him capable of teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, even if it was only for a day. Hermione looked completely startled and her mouth dropped open in astonishment. Ally offered Ron a small, tight smile.

'I know he can but it's probably best if you're not seen near the house while there are Order members lurking around.'

Harry shrugged. 'If you're sure.'

'Next time someone breaks in I promise to take you with.'

'Just be careful and try not to kill anyone.'

'I make no promises,' she answered cheekily. 'Have fun, Teach.'

Ally disappeared out of the Great Hall and Hermione stared after her for several long minutes after she'd gone before turning her gaze on Harry. Harry tried not to notice and instead struck up a conversation with Ron about what he was going to do in his classes the rest of the day.

'Who've you got first?' Ron asked eagerly.

'Third year Ravenclaw's and then second year Slytherins, a double with the first year Gryffindor's and then a double with the seventh years.'

'Busy day, yeah,' Ron commented.

'I don't fancy having to teach those Slytherins,' Harry admitted.

Ron just shrugged, reaching for another piece of toast. 'I wouldn't worry, Daphne reckons you'll have no problems after the show you put on.'

'Daphne?' Harry smirked at his friend. 'When did you talk to Daphne?'

'We both pulled prefect duty last night,' Ron replied, not seeming to realize where Harry was going with that smirk of his. Hermione did, however, and she was momentarily distracted from thoughts that were leading her down a surprisingly promising line of thought regarding Harry and Ally's relationship.

'There something going on between you and Daphne?'

'Huh?'

Ron's complete confusion was a little endearing and, were Ginny there and not still stuck in the hospital wing with an overbearing Madam Pomfrey, she may have actually told him he was being cute. But Ginny wasn't there and Harry was, so he laughed his ass off as he stumbled away from the Gryffindor table and toward his first class. Ron frowned and turned around to ask Hermione what that was all about but she glared at him and stormed off. Before he could really work up the bother to chase after her Susan dropped into her vacated chair and started eating breakfast.

'Wrong table, Bones.'

'I'm aware, Ron but I need to talk to you.'

Ron nodded. 'Walk you to class.'

Susan smiled tiredly. 'Thanks, Ron.'

**

* * *

**

Harry came to the rather sudden conclusion that if he was to be teaching in Ally's place then he was going to have some fun doing it. A brief glance at her teaching plan and Harry quickly cast a Disillusionment charm on himself and perched on the desk. He always had loved the small tidbits you could overhear whilst invisible. He settled back and waited for the third year Ravenclaw's to arrive, musing on Ron's unknowing relationship with Daphne and the intruder at the house.

'Wonder where Martin is?' a small mousy looking boy asked.

Most of the class shrugged but Harry had to give them points for warily looking around them. Whatever Ally had been doing in her younger classes was definitely having the desired affect. The third years hadn't just assumed she wasn't there; they'd also started to look around like she might be lurking in a corner invisible. Harry was impressed; when he was a third year he would have been goofing off with Ron right up until the teacher revealed herself by pulling on his ear. Hogwarts had definitely lucked out when Ally signed up for the position of DADA professor. Harry felt a little unsure of how he would compare to his kick ass, well educated and highly intimidating, heavily pregnant girlfriend.

He removed the disillusionment charm and greeted the class calmly. Several people screamed while others yelped in surprise. Harry grinned and began teaching without even explaining his presence. There was something about the way no one even questioned him that had Harry wondering just what it was the other students thought of him these days. It was awfully amusing to consider that he might come across as just as intimidating and powerful as Ally.

**

* * *

**

Nymphadora Tonks wasn't an idiot so when Dumbledore requested she take a look around his new DADA professor's home on her day off she'd been hesitant. When Dumbledore told her to take Remus she was concerned but when he actually told her that the DADA professor at Hogwarts was none other than Ally Martin she knew she was screwed. As instructed Tonks took Remus along and together they broke into the large manor Ally called home. Much to Remus' confusion, Tonks made sure to go in through the front door. She used her wand just once to unlock the door and wasn't surprised when it slammed shut behind them. Nope, she wasn't surprised at all.

When Ally arrived home shortly after breakfast she found Remus Lupin tangled up in the wards and Tonks sitting cross legged in the middle of the foyer building a castle out of a deck of muggle playing cards. Ally smiled slightly at Remus' predicament but chose to address Tonks instead.

'Nymphadora Tonks, what are you doing?'

Tonks didn't even jump at the sudden intrusion on the silence but Remus did flinch, setting off anther set of wards that resulted in him hanging upside down, arms and legs spread wide like a star.

'Wotcher, Martin,' Tonks said pleasantly, looking up from her cards. 'Congratulations on the new job.'

Ally accepted the congratulations with a smile and a slight tilt of the head. 'I take it Dumbledore sent you two to check up on me?'

Remus nodded and then immediately wished he hadn't. It felt as though every ounce of blood in his body had migrated to his head. 'Perhaps you could release me from your wards, Miss Martin so we may talk?'

Ally took a few minutes to ponder, rather obviously, on the situation just to annoy him. She then smiled and with a quick click of her fingers released Remus from the wards. Tonks collected together her cards and got to her feet, dusting off her bum as she did.

'Blimey, Martin, this place needs a good clean.'

'Uh, I think that was mud from your boots,' Remus interjected.

'Uh,' Tonks muttered, looking down at her feet. 'Seems likely.'

Ally rolled her eyes. 'Let's get this over with shall we?'

'I am sorry, Martin,' Tonks admitted sheepishly.

'But Dumbledore says jump and you ask how high?' Ally hazarded a guess.

'Something like that,' she admitted with just a hint of bitterness that Ally grabbed a hold of and tried to exploit.

'How's your cousin doing cooped up in that wretched house?'

Ally's words had the desired effect, Tonks tripped over her own feet and stumbled into the doorframe while Remus stopped dead in his tracks, his face drained of all colour.

'Yeesh,' Tonks grumped, rubbing her arm where it had hit the door. 'You really are as good as they say.'

'I'll take that as a compliment,' Ally grinned, dropping down on the couch in the living room.

'You should. Bloody hell, Remus, take a seat, she's not going to bite.'

'I seem to be a bit lost,' Remus admitted reluctantly, moving into the room and taking a seat opposite Ally and next to Tonks.

Tonks waved her hand at him dismissively. 'She has this affect on people,' she told him without looking away from Ally. 'How'd you know about Sirius? We didn't let anything slip at work did we?'

Ally smiled, she'd never had to opportunity to work with Tonks but just going on what Harry had to say about the bright young Auror and the last few moments of conversation Ally could tell she was going to like her. She decided to dispense with the pleasantries and get right down to business.

'Harry trusts you and if Harry trusts you then that is good enough for me.'

'What does Harry have to do with this?' Remus demanded, he would be the more difficult of the two.

'Everything,' was Ally's simple response. 'If you trust Harry as much as I do you'll think before following Dumbledore's orders.'

'He's getting a bit barmy in his old age, isn't here?' Tonks agreed cheekily. While neither Remus nor Ally had noticed Tonks' eyes had caught sight of something on the mantle that gave her good cause to believe every word Ally was saying. She just hoped to Merlin Remus didn't see what she had seen.

'Dora!' hissed Remus, scandalized.

'Oh, come on, Remus! He may be Albus Dumbledore but he sent us to investigate the home of Ally Martin! He's got to be cracked if he thought that was a smart idea.'

'I don't actually think he'd ever heard of me until I applied for the job,' Ally admitted and Tonks' mouth fell open.

'Man has definitely lost it. Hasn't heard of Ally Martin, ha!'

'Is Dumbledore going to ask to see your memory of this?'

'He might,' Tonks acknowledged. 'Best to do a bit of a tour just in case.'

'One sneaky thief tour of Martin House coming right up.'

Half an hour later Tonks was leading Remus out of the house and down the path to the street and a spot outside the wards where they could Apparate. Remus grabbed her arm right before she could leave and forced her to look at him.

'Why do you trust her?'

'I saw something that told me I could.'

She didn't explain that the something was in fact a photograph of Ally and Harry that sat on the mantle piece. Or that in the photo a smiling Harry was tossing a giggling Ally over his shoulder, caveman style, and swaggering out of the frame. That was the sort of thing she was going to hold onto until the opportunity to hold it over Harry's head arose. She could have such fun with that sort of blackmail material.


	34. Chapter 28

**a/n: **hey there! this is a nice loooong chapter. I hope you like it because i was quite satisfied with the way it turned out and not just the length. please let me know your thoughts and feelings though so i know if its just me or not. either way, enjoy!

**Chapter 28**

'What we are about to do could very well get us all killed if we're not careful,' Ally informed the assembled ADADA with a heavy sigh. 'It is also, unfortunately, something that needs to be done.'

Daphne glanced over at Ron, silently asking if he had any idea what she was talking about. He shook his head slightly and then offered the same silent question to Ginny. Ginny shook her head and the three turned back to Ally who had stopped pacing and was standing directly in front of them with her arms crossed atop her pregnant belly.

'If you're going to be of any use to this school in the war then you are going to need to know how to Apparate.' She let her words sink in before she continued. 'Now I know that some of you already have your licenses and that others have already started the Apparation classes this school offers but that's not good enough. Tonight, those of you who don't know how will learn to Apparate. Those who know how will learn to do it more efficiently and most importantly, silently.'

'How are we supposed to do that?' Emmy voiced the question on the tip of everyone's tongues. 'You can't apparate inside of Hogwarts.'

'I know,' Ally acknowledged. 'That's why this is going to be dangerous. Not only is there the risk of you getting splinched but there is also the chance that someone could get inside the school when I temporarily remove the wards. It hasn't been confirmed but it has been speculated that Voldemort has a group of Death Eaters regularly testing the wards around Hogwarts for weaknesses. I'm going to be lowering the wards in this room for two hours so you need to be prepared. This is a one time only chance; I don't want to risk it again.'

There was a moment of somber silence as the ADADA members considered Ally's heavy words carefully. 'How do we do this then?' Jesse asked, breaking the silence.

Ally smiled, this group of kids proved time and time again why they had been chosen for this advanced defense group.

'Fred, George, Steven, I want you off to one side working on doing this quietly. Just move in and out of the hoops and concentrate on appearing without a sound. It helps if you don't turn on the spot when disappearing.'

They nodded and moved to the side of the room she had pointed out, each taking a hoop and waiting for her signal.

'Emmy, Jesse, you've had some of the lessons so you understand the basic theory. Work with each other until you can apparate confidently in and out of the hoop; call me if you have any trouble. Once you're confident you can do it, work with the others on doing it quietly.'

Emmy and Jesse, though they weren't brimming with confidence, nodded determinedly and headed over to their assigned corner. Ally turned to the remaining ADADA members and smiled grimly.

'Take a hoop, I'm going to talk you through the theory and when you have that down I will remove the wards and we will jump right into it.'

Ron, Daphne, Luna, Susan Abby and Ginny spread out, taking a hoop each and exchanging nervous looks. Ally smiled encouragingly but it didn't help. She chose not to let them know that she had never actually had to apparate before. For as long as she'd been old enough to apparate, longer even, she'd been able to flame travel. She didn't think it would help their nerves any to know that the witch teaching them to apparate had never actually done it herself.

'The basic idea behind apparation is using your own magic to move yourself to another place. It takes a lot of focus and determination to propel yourself to another position and still keep all of your body parts. There isn't much to it, just the strength and determination to not splinch yourself.'

There was a collective wince that Ally tried not to notice. Having never experienced apparation first hand—she side-along apparated with her aunt once—she'd never had to worry about or experience leaving body parts behind.

'Close your eyes,' Ally instructed. 'Imagine the inside of your hoop; imagine that specific space, the pattern on the floor, anything to help you focus on that spot. When the wards are down I want you to imagine yourself moving into the hoop, channel your magic and stay focused.'

Ally led them through the focusing exercise several more times before she stood back and announced she was about to take down the wards. 'Before I do are there any questions?'

'Yeah,' George said. 'Where's Harry?'

Ally smiled. 'Harry is keeping Dumbledore distracted so he doesn't notice the wards coming down.'

Most of the ADADA grimaced at that distasteful chore and then Ally took the wards down and they threw themselves into the strenuous task of learning to apparate in two short hours.

* * *

The silence had become uncomfortable right around the time Harry had waltzed into Dumbledore's office and thrown himself down in a chair. Harry wasn't exactly helping things but he was there to keep Dumbledore distracted so he was doing what he could. He'd started by not wearing his school robes and instead come to the meeting in black jeans, heavy dragon hide boots that were spelled to make no sound and leave no footprints and a dark blue t-shirt Ruby had given him as a joke. The t-shirt had the words "Harry Potter rules" written in white letters across the chest. Ruby had found it hilarious and Harry was enjoying the opportunity to wear it.

He'd offered Dumbledore a cheerful greeting and then sat watching him, waiting for the headmaster to explain why he had been summoned. They'd been sitting in silence staring at each other, well Harry was staring and Dumbledore was doing everything he could not to look Harry in the eye, for the last ten minutes. Harry wondered if he could out wait Dumbledore but he didn't really have the time to find out. In the silence it would be easy for Dumbledore to notice the wards in a particular room coming down.

Harry sighed heavily and leaned forward in his chair. 'He's not here, you know.' He tapped the side of his head and watched with smug glee as Dumbledore's eyes widened.

'Harry,' Dumbledore sighed heavily.

'I've watched the way you are around me, you're afraid. The great Albus Dumbledore afraid and too afraid at that to ask the simple questions,' Harry went on ignoring Dumbledore's attempt to speak. 'You didn't talk to me, didn't ask me the important questions.'

'And what are the important questions?' Dumbledore asked softly, he seemed older than any other time Harry had spoken to him. Harry understood that type of aging, it was the kind brought on by times of war and the feeling that, despite all you were doing, it still wasn't enough.

'You should have come to me,' Harry said instead. 'You've dug yourself a grave, old man, and you expect me to get you out.'

Dumbledore's gaze sharpened at the sign of disrespect and for just a moment he looked defeated. It didn't last long. 'Harry, you don't understand, there are things you don't know, things you shouldn't have to know.'

Harry rolled his eyes. There was a part of him that wanted to shout at Dumbledore, tell him about Ally and the baby, about all of the training he'd done to prepare for the coming fight against Voldemort but he couldn't. Dumbledore wasn't ready to listen, he was determined to do what he felt was right even if it meant keeping his strongest ally in the dark. Harry searched for something to say, something to distract Dumbledore but to also start him on the path to understanding.

'Did you know that I slept in a cupboard under the stairs until I was eleven?'

Dumbledore stiffened in his chair but said nothing; he didn't get a chance because Harry started talking immediately. Even if he had, it wasn't likely anything he had to say could have redeemed to him any to Harry.

'Did you know that I was used as a slave in that house by my aunt and uncle? That I cooked and cleaned, did the gardening and never got rewarded for it?'

Dumbledore gave a tired sigh and tried to interrupt but Harry was on a roll now.

'Do you understand how hard it was growing up in a house without love? Do you understand what its like to be that boy on the outside, watching the other children open presents at Christmas and never having one of my own? You did that to me. You took me away from any family I still had, you did nothing to prove Sirius' guilt or innocence, you allowed Remus to ignore the only son of his best friend. Do you understand what you did to me?'

'Harry, I had no choice.'

'And why is that?' Harry asked politely. He may have been frustrated with his headmaster but that frustration was a good three years old for him, two years in the trunk and some decent months outside of it in normal time. He'd come to terms with it and now he was using old issues to keep the old man distracted. He really hoped Ally was well underway in her apparation lessons.

**

* * *

**

'Wicked!'

Ron grinned once he had been successfully put back together. He couldn't say leaving a few fingers behind had been a good experience but it was nice to know he was getting better. Beside him, Daphne was Apparating back and forth from her hoop without a sound.

'Show off,' he muttered good naturedly.

She poked her tongue out at him and turned to help Susan who had also mastered the basic apparation but was having trouble doing so quietly. Luna sat on the floor under the window reading the _Evening Prophet_ for any sign of misreported information regarding Death Eater attacks. She'd surprised, and frankly scared, them all by mastering perfect and silent apparation after just one attempt. The things Luna could do well while still being unable to function socially amazed them all.

A sudden happy shriek announced that Abby had just managed her first successful apparation. Successful, that is, was it not for several of her fingernails still lying on the floor outside her hoop.

'Ew!' she giggled, wiggling her suddenly naked fingers.

Ally made her way over and fixed her fingernails back to their appropriate digit. 'Next time, try it without losing those, shall we?' Ally gave Abby an amused smile and went to check on Ginny who was still working out a kink that had her leaving the last few inches of her hair behind.

Ron whooped excitedly at having finally, successfully, apparated and gave the nearest three people a crushing hug. Susan and Jesse bumped heads and had to shove him off with a congratulatory smile and a pained grimace. It had taken them just under two hours to get to this point. They had just twelve minutes left but Ally felt they had made enough progress to be useful. Nobody was leaving behind anything vital anymore, so she was comfortable with the knowledge that they could escape in a hurry.

Ally just hoped Harry hadn't killed Dumbledore yet.

**

* * *

**

Dumbledore's office was silent.

Things had progressed from a list of grievances Harry had with Dumbledore (a list that was almost the length of Dumbledore's beard) to a list of grievances on Sirius' behalf. Harry was quite enjoying the opportunity to bring Dumbledore down a peg but he run out of topics surprisingly fast. He'd covered his first eleven years of life and the summers after that, including the useless warning from the ministry that was all Dobby's fault. Dobby's fault. Malfoy. Harry had completely forgotten to raise the topic of Malfoy and so breaking his vow of silence, which had lasted all of four point two seconds (he'd taken to asking what the strange instruments in Dumbledore's office did to kill time), Harry spoke up.

'Sir,' it was always best to be respectful when you wanted something. Even if you had just spent the last hour and a half picking out everything said person had done to slight you. 'Can I ask what happened yesterday between you and the Malfoy's? Only I went to visit Ginny in the hospital wing last night and saw Malfoy in there looking like he'd been trampled by a dragon.'

Dumbledore frowned, his grievances against Harry (a list now just as long as Harry's against him) put aside while he tackled that nasty meeting.

'Lucius did not take kindly to the insinuation that his son was a poor student and demanded Draco be given the chance to face another dummy.'

'What did you say to that, _sir_?'

Dumbledore answered, ignoring the slightly sarcastic nature of that "sir". 'I offered to show him a copy of my memory of Draco's fight against his dummy. The memory contained a true account of what occurred between Draco and his dummy opponent and was not what Lucius had been told occurred. Sadly, I believe Lucius was embarrassed by young Draco's behavior.'

Harry took embarrassed to mean completely pissed off to the point of a decent thrashing but didn't question it any more. He needn't have bothered for Dumbledore had finally reached a topic he wanted to discuss and he wasn't about to let Harry get away from it with mindless chatter. A good thing as Harry had just spotted a portrait he hadn't yet asked about.

'Harry, I would like you to view a memory with me.'

Harry was wary but he was also pretty sure that if he was floating around in a Pensieve Dumbledore wouldn't be able to tell when the wards came back up. Unfortunately for Harry the memory Dumbledore wanted to show him was day two of the tournament and more specifically his fight against the Tonks and Ruby dummies. Harry and Dumbledore appeared on the platform just as the Tonks dummy appeared.

'Why are we watching this?'

Dumbledore never took his eyes off the Harry on the platform. Harry wasn't particularly interested in reliving this particular memory and found his eyes wandering over to Ally instead. He was so intently studying the curve of her stomach, the quirk of a smile on her lips and the way her eyes always lit up when they were fighting that he almost missed Dumbledore's answer.

'Am I right in understanding that this dummy is an attempt to mimic Nymphadora Tonks?'

'That was the idea.'

'Have you any idea why Professor Martin chose to create an imitation of Nymphadora for you to face?'

'Yes,' Harry answered simply, cringing when he hit the platform after a rather hard strike from Tonks.

Evidently, Dumbledore was expecting more of an explanation. Such a pity he didn't get one.

'You have spoken to Professor Martin about this?'

'Yep.' Harry continued to be uncooperative; it was amusing to say the least.

'May I enquire as to where you learnt some of the spells you used against this dummy?'

'I read a lot over the summer.'

Dumbledore sighed and switched to watching Harry instead of memory Harry. It didn't give him any more answers and when the memory ended and they found themselves back in Dumbledore's office another silence descended. This one was heavier than any of the previous ones. Dumbledore was even more worried about Harry now than he had been before. Harry may have assured him that Voldemort wasn't in his head but his disrespectful, distant and almost cocky behavior had Dumbledore fiercely concerned. He tried one more time to get some answers out of Harry, never once finding it unfair that he felt it his right to receive answers when he was outright refusing to give Harry answers to years old questions.

'Harry, I fear that since you left here at the end of last term you have undergone something that has left you not yourself,' Dumbledore began slowly, hesitantly. 'I can not begin to imagine how you must have felt after the events of last year but I feel that there is more to it than that. You have been involved in incidents with Voldemort before and never have you changed so much. Is it so wrong of me to want to know why this change has occurred in you?'

Harry rolled his eyes. 'Why does everyone assume these changes are for the worst? No, don't answer that.'

'Harry.' Dumbledore gave a bone weary sigh. 'We're concerned for you. Over the last few months you have displayed behavior dangerously close to indifference when discussing the execution of Death Eaters, you've proved adept at spells well beyond NEWT level and you openly defied attempts made on my behalf to protect you.'

Tired with it all Harry gave Dumbledore answers he probably didn't want to hear, least of all because they were mere half truths. 'The end of last term was bad,' he admitted. 'When I arrived at the Dursley's I was a wreck, I didn't want to eat. The plan was to sleep away the days until school started.'

'What changed?'

'I met a girl, I fell in love. I discovered that the headmaster I had always respected above all others, the headmaster I had trusted to tell me the truth and keep me safe, had in fact lied to me. You didn't bother to tell me I was being watched, didn't owl me. You went against everything friendship stands for and forced my two best friends to keep secrets from me. You did everything you could to hide me away.'

'Harry, it was for your own good.'

'That doesn't work for me,' Harry told him honestly and he probably would have said more but a sudden feeling on the back of his neck told him something was wrong with Ally. He stood abruptly and made for the door. 'When you are ready, and I really do me _you_, to talk then we will.'

He walked right through the wards Dumbledore had on his office door to discourage people from leaving before he was finished speaking or interrogating them. Harry barely even noticed they were there but they provided just another concern for Dumbledore's ever growing list.

**

* * *

**

Ally was being choked by a black cloaked finger wearing a white mask and heavy brown gloves. It wasn't the nicest sensation but it was easily fixed. She winked at her attacker and disappeared in a flash of fire, reappearing across the room in front of her students. The ADADA were all hidden behind shields, any other time and she would be impressed by how quickly they had been able to erect them. Now wasn't the time. She beckoned Steven forward and he fired several spells to distract the Death Eater while Ally quickly repaired the wards.

She'd been warned it might happen; Ruby had been very specific when she mentioned the rumors of Death Eater's constantly Apparating against the wards looking for weakness but she hadn't thought there was much to them. Surely someone as powerful and knowledgeable as Voldemort could have figured out for himself, say, the schedule of the sixth year apparation classes? Why waste time pelting the wards when there was a set time each week when Hogwarts was vulnerable? Ally gave up trying to figure out how the, for lack of a better word, man's mind worked and concentrated on getting the wards up.

A strong spell rebounded off Steven's shield, sending him careening backward just as the wards snapped into place. Ally stepped forward but there was a sudden eruption of flames behind the Death Eater and Harry appeared. He stepped up close behind the man and reached up, gripping the sides of the Death Eaters head and wrenched it sideways. He tossed the body to the floor and stepped over it without a second glance. He was focused solely on Ally.

'Merlin, Als, are you okay?'

'Fine,' she dismissed, waving him off even as his fingers came up to trace the red marks on her neck. He frowned but let it slide; they had been in much worse scrapes than this.

'Who'd I just kill anyway?' he asked instead.


	35. Chapter 29

**a/n: **thanks to every one of my awesome reviewers, without you there would be no incentive to carry on writing. Well there would be, i'm not that review dependent but you make it so much sweeter. anyway, the next chapter is here (slightly delayed because i had an essay due that sort of needed to be started and finished in about a day). either way i hope you enjoy it and let me know your thoughts.

**Chapter 29**

Narcissa Malfoy

Who knew the tall slim figure under those Death Eater robes was female, and a highly "respected" female at that? Ron had been the one to roll her over, once he'd got done staring at Harry in a rather speculative manner. One that Harry knew for sure meant explanations and truths would be flowing shortly. Harry had been the one to remove the mask and check her forearm for the Dark Mark. It had been there, clear as day for all the world to see. Narcissa Malfoy: Death Eater.

Not that they were particularly surprised, the entire Malfoy/Black family was heavily into the whole pureblood mania. What had taken them by surprise was that she had been the one to attempt to infiltrate Hogwarts. Even Lucius Malfoy would have seemed a more logical choice, given his regular appearances at the school over the years. Even one of the Ministry workers Voldemort had recruited would have made more sense. They at least could have claimed to be testing the wards for the Ministry if they ever succeeded and were found out.

Voldemort seemed to be making several small mistakes. Harry desperately hoped it was the result of all of his and Ally's unshielded sex and not Voldemort plotting something that Harry was completely unaware of. The ADADA wasn't ready to be taken by surprise just yet; they still needed a bit more training. Although form the way they were handling this sudden development they were not too far off.

The entire group was taking the sudden appearance of Narcissa and her attack and subsequent death remarkably well. Ron had handled the body with about as much respect as he would a rather ugly slug and about as much fear as he'd show a teddy bear. Once he'd finished—and won—his demanding I-want-an-explanation stare down with Harry he'd gone straight for the fallen Death Eater and began handling the situation like he would any game of chess. He certainly went at it with a better attitude and clinical determination than his homework at any rate.

The twins made sure the wards were up and working properly and everyone else went about their usual ADADA tasks. They all knew that if they were needed for something Ally or Harry would let them know.

'What should we do with her?' Ron asked, standing form his crouch and looking over at Harry and Ally for instructions.

'Do we have enough to convict her?' Ally questioned.

Luna immediately piped in with an answer. 'We have some information,' she replied. 'Enough, at least, to warrant an investigation.'

'Daphne?'

Daphne shook her head. 'It's no good, most of that is tied to Lucius as well, it's not enough to get her.'

'So we make her disappear then?' Harry suggested. 'We could feed her to the Acromantula, bury her in the forest.'

'Toss her to the giant squid,' Ron suggested. 'There are plenty of creatures in the forest that would eat a human.'

'What about Tonks?' Ally asked. She wanted to make sure they had covered all of their bases before they just fed her to the giant spiders inhabiting the Forbidden Forest. It seemed almost cold, after all, Narcissa had never been particularly violent herself, just agreed with Voldemort's ideals.

'Won't work,' Daphne told Ally and Luna nodded her head in agreement. 'You know the laws better than any of us; you know there's nothing Tonks can do. There just isn't enough evidence to put this as the result of an unwanted ministry investigation.'

Ally sighed. 'Acromantula it is. Daphne, Luna, I want a copy of everything we have against Narcissa Malfoy. Harry can drop her off in the forest and then take what we have to Tonks. It will be good to have on file once they start to look for her.'

The girls nodded and quickly walked off to magically make copies of all of their notes and evidence. Ally turned her attention to the rest of the ADADA and started doling out instructions for the rest of the night and, in some cases, the rest of the week.

'Ginny, I want you to help out Fred and George as much as you can. I want the first line of more serious supplies done by the end of next week. Abby, Emmy, keep the tracking to research only for a week or two until this whole Narcissa this has started to settle.'

All three nodded and hurried off. Abby and Emmy snatched up their bags and folders and scuttled out of the room. Ginny barged into the twins' lab and had to duck quickly to avoid a red jelly like glob that Fred accidentally launched in her direction when the door had startled him.

'We need to get someone on Hermione watch soon,' Ally said, turning to face Harry. 'All alone in that library it's hard to say what she'll find.'

'As long as it's not before she gets the whole thing cataloged I almost don't care.'

Just a week before he'd given Hermione the task of organizing the Martin Library (as they'd dubbed it) he'd nearly been crushed in an avalanche of books. He'd lost a copy of a book on legilimency that he'd really wanted to read and using a summoning charm to retrieve it had nearly gotten him buried. He'd be glad when she finally finished even if Hermione did come out with a little more information than they really wanted her to have.

Daphne came back then with a large envelope addressed to Tonks. She handed the envelope to Harry and looked to Ally in case there was something else she needed to be doing. Aside from finishing off the latest adjustments to the student profiles, that is. She'd been witness to an incredible bit of magic performed by a seventh year Hufflepuff that she needed to make a note of. The boy would be great in charge of a small band of students when it came to protecting the castle. Not to mention she'd heard new rumors about a Ravenclaw third year who had suddenly developed some rather high up Ministry contacts in the family. The sudden promotion seemed a little too good to be true.

'Find Ron,' Ally ordered. 'If you think you can swing it I want you two patrolling the castle tonight. Peeves mentioned something about a couple of third year Slytherin's mucking about on the third floor the last couple of nights.'

Daphne nodded. 'Find them, watch them, and make sure they aren't doing anything Harry will have to kill them for.'

'I was hoping it would be more of a detention situation,' Ally joked.

'I'll see what I can do.' Daphne didn't bother turning around and looking for Ron, she just headed toward the door and shouted back at him. 'Oi, Weasley, prefect rounds. Now!'

Ron jogged after her with a roll of his eyes at Harry.

'That's not my imagination, right?' Harry asked once they were gone.

'No, its not,' Ally assured him.

'Oh, good.' Then he smirked. 'Ha! Who would have thought Ron and a Slytherin?'

Ron and the Slytherin in question found the group of overly giggly third year Slytherins in the ten minutes it took them to walk down to the classroom on the third floor Peeves had mentioned. How handy it was to have Peeves on side. Ron had to admit that giving him free reign to pull whatever pranks he pleased, as long as they were not harmful and managed to distract Filch, had been one of Ginny's better and certainly more vindictive ideas. The third years in question had done nothing more boring than sneak off to drink their way through a bottle of Firewhiskey and gossip about everything from the mundane (their housemates) to the serious (Harry and Voldemort).

Ron was honestly a little disappointed. He spent a vicious fifteen minutes grilling them on the finer arts of rule breaking and shaking his head in disgust.

'Firewhiskey!' he shouted incredulously, grateful that Daphne had put up a quick silencing charm around the classroom. 'That's the best you can do? Blimey, that's right pathetic, that is.'

The three girls stared at him agog as he paced back and forth gesticulating wildly. Daphne stood behind him looking thoroughly amused.

'The Firewhiskey I get, it's worth breaking curfew for but petty gossip? Couldn't you have been raiding Snape's potions stock, brewing some illegal potion or, bloody hell, nicking something from under Filch's nose?'

The three girls looked at each other and then glanced quickly at Daphne for an explanation but she was too busy shaking with suppressed laughter.

'Blimey, this is unbelievable, get back to your common room, Snape will be hearing about this.'

One of the girls laughed. 'Snape won't do a thing.'

'Yeah, but Martin will and we're going to her next.'

Ron had never seen three girls run so fast.

'I enjoyed that too much.'

'Probably,' Daphne agreed.

'Want to go to the kitchens and get some dessert?'

Daphne smiled. 'I'd love to, Ron.'

Ron soon found himself on what some might consider a first date as he a Daphne settled in to share a huge slice of chocolate cake with both ice cream and whipped cream and a chocolate sauce that Ginny had once claimed was better than a good snog. Ron chose not to consider just who his little sister had been snogging.

'So what are your theories?' Daphne questioned after they'd spent a few quiet minutes appreciating the fine cooking skills of the house elves.

It just went to show how much time Daphne and Ron had been spending together that he didn't have to ask what she was talking about.

'They're together, obviously.'

'Does that weird you out?' Daphne asked, honestly curious. 'I mean he just showed up after the summer with all these new skills and attitude. Did he even tell you what was going on?'

Ron nodded slowly, leaning back in his chair to survey Daphne speculatively. It was obvious to Daphne that she was being judged on some level, most likely as to how trustworthy she was.

'He only really told Ginny,' Ron admitted finally. 'He didn't tell me anything until he and Ginny took down Nott and rescued Lydia. Ginny was a mess and the twins and I demanded they tell us what was going on. That was when it all came out.'

'All?'

'Everything they thought we were ready to know I guess.' Ron shrugged and he didn't look all that happy about it.

'Will you tell me what you know?'

Ron shrugged again and speared another piece of cake onto his fork. 'It's not like anything I know is all that secret. From what he said, Martin tracked him down at his aunt's house, told him that she believed him and offered to do a lot more about it than Dumbledore. He said something about a trunk and a time spell that made it so that for him two years went by while it was just five weeks for us. She trained him non-stop for those two years, helped him become good enough to fight Voldemort and helped him get over Cedric's murder.'

'Why do I get the feeling there's more?'

'When he came and stayed with us he kept referring to a girl he'd met. The way he talked about her, it seemed like they were in love, I guess. And you've seen the way he and Martin act around each other when they think no ones looking.'

'And sometimes when people are looking,' Daphne added with a smile. 'You think that Martin is the girl he was talking about?'

Ron nodded. 'It's not like it could be anyone else. If he spent all of his time training to be good enough to defeat Voldemort he didn't exactly have time to meet anyone.'

'Makes sense,' she agreed. 'Still, it is weird though, you know that means he's going to be a father?'

This time Ron grimaced slightly. 'I know.' Then he smirked. 'The twins and I ordered him a present just to let him know we know.'

'What is it?'

Ron didn't answer; instead he filled his mouth with cake and offered her a wink. Daphne laughed and they spent the rest of the night laughing and joking about the ADADA and random things that popped into their heads.

**

* * *

**

Hermione was at a loss. She'd separated as many of the books as she could without running out of room and she wanted to wait to tackle the rest once she had the first lot organized. It would be much easier if she had somewhere to put it once she'd decided where it should go. She'd been so distracted she hadn't even had much time to worry about whether or not Professor Martin was all she seemed.

'How's it going?'

Hermione jumped a good foot in the air and whirled around to face Martin who had just appeared out of nowhere and nearly given Hermione a heart attack. She clutched her chest and tried to get her breathing under control. She'd never been alone with Professor Martin before and she'd never actually been in the Martin library with her either. She truly hoped Harry hadn't been joking when he offered her free reign.

'Professor Martin, you startled me!'

'Sorry 'bout that.'

Hermione fidgeted while Martin gazed around at the slightly neater stacks of books.

'I've hit a bit of a snag,' Hermione admitted nervously, her own eyes darting around the room to take in all the work she'd already done.

'How so?' Martin asked focusing on Hermione.

'I thought it would be easier to put away those I've organized already so that I could just shelve the others when I come across them.'

Martin nodded. 'Sounds like a good idea, so what's the problem?'

Hermione motioned around her. 'No bookshelves.'

'Oh! Right, forgot all about that. Harry was supposed to go shopping but I guess he forgot. Leave it for tonight and I'll send Pip or Tilly to get some shelves tomorrow.'

'Who are Pip and Tilly?'

'Oh, my house elves,' Martin answered dismissively, turning to lead Hermione out of the library.

Hermione forgot all about her need to research Martin, all about her theories and suspicions and all about the library. She chased after Martin and subjected the poor pregnant woman to her views and opinions about house elf enslavement. It's a wonder she didn't end up dead at the hands of a hormonal time bomb.

**

* * *

**

Wanting to avoid having to talk to any of the Acromantula he was about to offer a free feed, Harry did something a little tricky that Ally would likely kill him for if she ever found out. In a flash he appeared in the very heart of the nest. He tossed a slightly singed Narcissa corpse to the ground and flashed away before any of the giant spiders that formed a rather large back drop for pretty much all of Ron's nightmares could attack. It was a lot easier than his first idea of flaming to the outskirts of their territory. He appeared again in a dark field, on a slight hill overlooking what seemed to be a drunken celebration. Tonks was lying low on the hill, wrapped in a good number of concealment charms, watching a group of five Death Eaters drinking themselves stupid.

He lay down next to her, applying his own spells and managing to not make a sound.

'Wotcher, Tonks.'

Had she not been shrouded in silencing charms she would have given herself away when she let out a startled shriek. Instead she just mouthed soundlessly and stared at the spot next to her where his voice had come from.

'Harry?!'

Though she was mouthing the word Harry felt sure he had added the correct amount of surprise into his interpretation. He removed a few of the charms wrapped around him so that she could see as he motioned for her to follow. Reluctantly, but intensely curious, she followed him down the slope of the hill and away from the Death Eaters she'd been spying on. Once they were far enough away, Harry threw up some quick wards and silencing charms and removed the final concealment spells on himself. Tonks did the same. After a few moments spent eyeing each other in silence Tonks started to smirk.

'Wotcher, Harry,' Tonks greeted giving him a sly smile.

Harry didn't like the look at all but he chose not to comment. 'I killed Narcissa Malfoy tonight.'

'You what?' Tonks demanded.

'It was an accident!' Harry defended and then he frowned. 'Well no, it wasn't an accident. She was sort of strangling Ally but I didn't know it was her when I snapped her neck!'

Tonks took a moment to sift through his words. So her aunt Cissy was dead? Well Tonks couldn't really bring herself to feel bad about that. Still, the fact that Harry had killed her was a little unnerving but what was the best part in Tonks view was the way Harry had referred to Martin as Ally. Oh the fun she could have with that.

'Ally, huh?'

The way Tonks was smirking and her eyes were dancing gave Harry the feeling she knew something she shouldn't but he didn't exactly have the time to ask all the appropriate questions.

'Wait,' Tonks interrupted his thoughts. 'Why are you telling me this?'

Harry rolled his eyes and handed Tonks a heavy envelope. Even in the relative darkness of the field she could see her name written on the front of the packet Luna and Daphne had assembled. She peered inside and then pulled out a wand.

'It belonged to Narcissa, the rest is a copy of all the evidence we've collected against her. There wasn't enough evidence to really hold her so we couldn't exactly hand the body over to you and claim it was an investigation turned sour.'

'So what did you do with her?'

Harry shrugged. 'Fed her to the Acromantula in the Forbidden Forest.'

Tonks grimaced. 'Lovely.'

'It was that or the giant squid in the lake.'

'What do you want me to do with this?'

'Open an investigation using the information but put it on the back burner as a low level priority. Give it a week, roughly, and then adjust it to say that Narcissa is missing, give it three days and then report that her wand mysteriously turned up in the post. Close the investigation with an assumed dead and end it.'

Tonks grinned wickedly. 'She did good.'

'Who did?' Harry asked distractedly. His arm was itching him something crazy and that meant that Ally needed him. There was only a low level of panic coming from their strange connection so he didn't think it was all that important. He had no way of knowing she just needed to be rescued from Hermione's SPEW rant.

'Ally Martin.'

'She's a good teacher,' Harry acknowledged simply.

'Great incentive to learn, I bet.'

Harry was pretty sure she was implying something there but a sudden explosion of fireworks distracted him from Tonks' ever growing sly smile.

'You want me to beat them up or something?' He motioned over her shoulder at the hill concealing the Death Eaters.

'Better not.'

'I should get going then.'

'Might be best.'

Harry removed his wards and was just about to leave when Tonks said something else weird.

'Nice photo, by the way.'

'What photo?'

'The one on the mantle,' she replied just as he disappeared.

Harry appeared back in Ally's bedroom; well his too given that he spent very few nights sleeping in the Gryffindor dormitory these days, with a frown. And then it clicked. The photo on the mantle at Ally's. Tonks had been there earlier. He hadn't been himself yet but he knew instantly which photo she was referring to, it was a Ruby creation.

'Son of a bitch!' he swore.

Tonks knew.


	36. Chapter 30

**a/n: **there's dancing, maybe an electric slide and the robot. feel free to join in as i am celebrating 800 reviews! YAY! And it is all thanks to you my wonderful, awesome, beautiful, fantastic readers. thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your wonderful support. and i'm gushing but i don't care cause i have 800 reviews. lol. let me know what you think of this chap. read. enjoy. celebrate. Here it is the big 3 double O. there'll be more in the next chapter.

**Chapter 30**

When Harry returned from his morning run Ally was just starting to stir. He walked silently over to the bed and leant over her, pressing kisses up the length of her exposed arm. He kissed every part of her that he could reach and then placed his hand on her stomach. His baby girl was already up and awake, he could feel her moving about. Ally shot up in bed suddenly with a yelp and started shoving him away.

'Cold hands! Very cold hands!'

Harry fell off the bed with a laugh while Ally massaged her belly to bring some warmth back.

'Happy birthday, Als.'

Harry got to his feet and crawled onto the bed to kiss her properly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer only to screw up her nose and push him away slightly.

'You're all sweaty.'

'Wanna be sweaty too?'

Ally grinned and pulled him back down beside her, she missed having him lying over her but the huge bump sort of got in the way. They lay together kissing for a good hour before Ally pulled away suddenly and frowned.

'This isn't my present, right?'

Harry chuckled lightly and got off the bed to retrieve her gift from his bag. Her eyes lit up and Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes when he handed over the carefully wrapped package. So carefully wrapped that it was obvious he hadn't done the wrapping himself.

'Tilly?'

'The things she does with wrapping paper and tape,' Harry murmured with a grin.

Ally laughed and began to unwrap the decent sized rectangular box. Inside she found a black leather bound folio style book tied closed with a blue ribbon. Her name was stamped in gold leaf on the cover. Frowning, she opened it up to reveal a letter from Harry.

_Ally,_

_This would be the moment I wrote something beautiful and possibly romantic but that's not me. I spent ages wondering what to get the girl who has everything, three hundred years is a long time to amass everything you could ever really need. So I give you this, I give you my heart, my soul and promise to love you always. Now look in the book._

_Love always and forever,_

_Harry_

'And you said you weren't romantic.'

This time Harry really did roll his eyes. 'Just open it.'

She lifted out the parchment Harry's letter was written on and found a series of letters her mother and father had exchanged stuck on the pages of the folio book. The yellowing parchment was secured to the page with a simple adhesive charm. They were love letters from her mother to her father before she was born; form before they'd even been married. She had no idea where Harry had managed to find them.

'Oh, Harry!'

'Keep going,' he instructed her.

She did as she was told and turned the rather heavy page and found similar letters on the next page. These were letters written between her aunt and mother that covered everything from the silly little things sisters talked about to her fears about her pregnancy. Ally was astounded. She turned the page again and found her Hogwarts acceptance letter. Each page was filled with something of great significance in her life. Awards from Hogwarts, letters addressed to her from her teachers praising her for her good work.

After her days at Hogwarts the letters changed to those from people she had known and loved throughout her life. There was a childish drawing of Ally and three little girls she had been governess to in her thirties. There were extracts from diaries she had kept about her life from different years. The further she got through the book the more there was. A picture painted on the back of an old students' essay of a phoenix and a little boy with shocking blue hair.

'Where on earth did you find all of this?' Ally could barely get the words out; she was struggling so hard to keep from crying. The most important people in her life were represented here.

'Some of it came from your vaults, others Ruby and I had to track down through their descendents.'

'I don't know what to say,' Ally told him honestly. 'This is the best gift anyone has ever given me.'

'It gets better,' he assured her.

He reached back into his bag and produced a small wooden box, the size of a shoe box. The box was covered in gold runes but Ally wasn't paying enough attention to make out what they were. He handed her the box and she slid it open. Inside were two dozen glass vials filled with a misty vapor.

'These memories go with the later entries in the book.'

Ally was so impressed, so awed by the gift Harry had given her. She was holding in her hands an account of all of the best moments in her life, all of the people she'd loved and eventually lost. Some she had lost under happy circumstances (old age was a good way to go) and some under bad ones. That didn't matter to her though because everything in this book, everything Harry had worked to gather for her, was perfect. She could feel the tears beginning to escape and she threw herself on Harry, raining kisses on him.

'Thank you, Harry, its perfect.'

**

* * *

**

Harry was deep in conversation with Ginny and Ron about his plans for the day as they walked down to breakfast. He'd left Ally soaking in a bath and said he'd meet her after breakfast. Then he'd run up to the Gryffindor common room to meet his friends. That had taken a while as Crookshanks had been hunting during the night and, much to the disgust of most of Gryffindor; a slaughter of mice had taken place in the common room. Apparently the massacre occurred after the house elves had done their nightly tidy up. It wasn't a pretty sight and poor Hermione had needed quite a few cleaning spells to get rid of the mess.

'So, you think you can do it?' Harry asked Ron as they stepped off the stairs and made their way across the entrance hall.

'I can do it,' Ron assured him.

'Good beca-'

Out of nowhere a short, slim blonde crashed into his side, throwing him off balance and sending him tumbling to the flagstone floor. The blonde stumbled down on top of him with a yelp and a giggle. Lying on the floor on his back Harry spat out a mouthful of long hair and groaned.

'Morning, Ruby,' he greeted the petite figure sprawled on top of him.

'Hiya, Harry!' He didn't need to see her face to know she was grinning cheekily.

'Get off me, you fat lump.'

'Oh that's real nice,' Ruby huffed, clambering to her feet.

'Oh, come on, you know I love you.'

'Try showing it,' she muttered.

Harry rolled his eyes but swept Ruby up in a hug. It had been a while since the two had seen each other and the tackle like hug she'd just hit him with didn't stop him from missing her. She attempted to squeeze the air out of his lungs and then got distracted by the sight of Ron and Ginny.

'Oh!' she gushed. 'You must be Ron and Ginny.'

And she pulled them both into a hug that had their heads dangerously close to banging together. Then she released them suddenly and grinned sheepishly.

'And you have no idea who I am.'

'I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you're the infamous Ruby Reid,' Ginny said.

'Infamous?' Ruby asked, turning to Harry. 'What have you been saying about me?'

'Bad things,' Harry assured her. 'Lots and lots of bad things.'

She poked her tongue out at him and linked her arm through his; ignoring the curious glances she was receiving from the students passing them as they walked toward the Great Hall for breakfast.

'She in there?'

Harry tilted his head to the side for a moment and then nodded.

'Excellent.' She snapped her fingers and suddenly she and Harry were wearing flashing party hats that had Happy Birthday written in bright neon colors. Harry wrinkled his nose and snapped his fingers, vanishing the hats and shooting Ruby a glare.

'No hats.'

Ruby gave an aggrieved sigh. 'The things I put up with for Ally.'

'I'm hurt,' Harry pouted. 'And here I thought you liked me.'

'It's all pretend,' deadpanned Ruby.

Behind them Ginny and Ron sniggered, you couldn't help liking Ruby, something about her drew you in. Hermione arrived on the scene looking flustered and extremely confused. She glanced between the two Weasley's and Harry and the mystery woman with raised eyebrows.

'What's going on?'

'Ruby Reid,' Ron answered, as though that explained everything. It sort of did for those who knew who Ruby was. Even Professor Flitwick would have merely nodded his agreement to that one.

'Harry's contact at the ministry?'

Both Ron and Ginny turned surprised looks on Hermione. As far as either could remember Ruby's name had come up exactly once in conversation and that was months ago when they were still staying at Grimmauld Place. How on earth did she remember something like that?

'Sometimes you scare me,' Ron informed her.

Hermione glared at him and Harry glanced over his shoulder at the three of them.

'You coming or what?' he called to them.

Ruby almost skipped through the Great Hall, dragging Harry behind her. Most heads turned to watch their progress and Dumbledore half rose from his seat as though expecting Ruby to be bearing some form of news from the Ministry. He may not have had a clue who Ally Martin was but he definitely knew Ruby Reid. She walked right up to the staff table and struck a pose in front of Ally as though to say, yes that's right, I'm here. She pulled her wand from the holster on her leg and shot a spell into the air. Confetti rained down on the staff table and the words Happy Birthday fluttered in the air.

'Surprise!'

Harry and Ruby were good but they weren't that good. Ally had known that Ruby would be visiting for her birthday almost as long as Harry had, not that it changed anything. She stood and hurried around the table, pulling Ruby into a tight hug and causing Ruby to receive a sharp kick from a suddenly squished baby.

'You're here!'

'Like you're actually surprised,' Ruby laughed.

'Hey, I could be!'

'Yeah, sure,' Ruby scoffed. 'Harry, keep a secret from you?'

'Yeah, you're right.'

'Hey!' Harry protested indignantly, albeit halfheartedly. 'It's been known to happen!'

'Sure honey.' Ruby offered him a patronizing pat on the shoulder.

He glared at her but before he could say anything more Dumbledore had risen from his seat at the table and come around to see what all the fuss was about. Though if he were to take a guess he would say it was his newest professor's birthday and her friend, Ruby Reid, had come to help celebrate. He tried not to shudder at the mere thought of Ruby's name, she'd put the Weasley twins to shame when she was at school and now she was, or so he'd heard, one of the Ministry's top Unspeakables.

'Miss Reid, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?' Dumbledore tried not to notice the tightening of McGonagall's lips or Flitwick's squeak that suggested Ruby's company was very rarely a pleasure.

'Morning, Dumbledore,' Ruby greeted brightly. 'Thought I'd stop by and wish Ally a happy birthday.'

'Indeed. Perhaps in the future you could let a member of staff know you are coming, it doesn't hurt to be too,' he paused to search for the right word. He felt almost sure that Harry would not associate himself with someone who did not believe Voldemort was back. 'Cautious,' he settled on.

Ruby waved him off. 'I did tell Harry I was stopping by.'

'Slipped my mind,' Harry added. 'Now get lost you two, you're interrupting my breakfast.'

'Harry,' Dumbledore scolded but he was ignored.

Ruby grabbed Martin by the arm and started dragging her out of the Great Hall, pausing as she passed Harry only to kiss him quickly on the cheek and offer him some parting words.

'Don't wait up.'

'For you, Ruby, I'll be sure to sleep like the dead.' Harry looked back and found Dumbledore frowning at him. 'What?'

When Dumbledore failed to do more than look at Harry sadly, he shrugged and wandered back along the Gryffindor table to join his friends for breakfast. Ron was beginning to look strangely green and had barely touched his food. Harry glared at Ginny wondering what on earth she could have said to make him so bloody nervous in the handful of minutes he'd been gone.

'What did you do?'

She grimaced. 'I remembered the twins have DADA today.'

Harry winced; maybe things wouldn't work out as well as they'd hoped. As it turned out, Harry didn't have anything to worry about. They had Defense Against the Dark Arts first and Hermione wouldn't stop complaining about their professor disappearing the whole way there.

'This is our OWL year!' she insisted. 'How can she just run off even if it is her birthday? How can Dumbledore let this happen?'

Harry sighed and grabbed her elbow to stop her from making a wrong turn, so lost was she in her angry tirade. 'Look, its not like she just up and left without making sure someone was there to cover her class,' Harry reasoned. 'I told you she arranged with McGonagall for me to help out.'

Hermione gave him a look that told him she wasn't at all impressed. 'You have an impressive knowledge of Defense Harry but you're not good enough to teach a proper class.'

'I guess it's a good thing I'm not taking it then, huh?' he asked, taking a seat beside her.

'What?' Hermione looked around in confusion and her mouth dropped open. Standing in front of Professor Martin's desk was their substitute teacher. And it was Ron.

Ron was taking their DADA class. RON! Had the world gone mad? Hermione gaped at Ron, words failing her. She looked to Harry for some kind of explanation and found him shaking with silent laughter at her reaction. She turned back to Ron who was shifting from foot to foot uneasily as he waited for the last student to take a seat. Dean closed the door behind him and slipped into a seat beside Seamus. Ron took a step forward and just like that the nervous demeanor was gone. Standing before the fifth year Gryffindors was a Ron few got to see. He waved his wand and the sound of paper settling on desks filled the room.

'In front of you is a map of Hogwarts,' Ron said. 'On it you will find all of the rooms and corridors of this school and several key features. Today I expect you to pair up and devise a strategy to protect Hogwarts from outside attack.' He let that sink in and then smiled to himself at the confused looks he received. 'This school represents one of the greatest targets for Voldemort; it's the shining light of each generation. If he manages to take this school it's likely he'll have damn near won the war, I mean the Ministry's already lost.'

'Ron!' Hermione hissed, scandalized.

He just waved a dismissive hand at her. 'If we wish to hold on to this castle then we need to know how to protect it. I want you and you partner to mark on your map every strong defensible location, any location you think would need to be heavily guarded and places where Death Eaters would find it easier to enter the castle. I suggest you take this seriously as you will be marked on it.'

'You're joking, right?' Lavender demanded. 'You can't give us a test!'

'Actually, I can,' Ron informed her. 'Professor Martin asked me to do this so I am. I can tell you that there are seven weak points in Hogwarts' defenses and thirty two places that should provide easily defensible positions. Now get to work.'

Hermione walked out of that DADA class an hour later in a complete daze. Ron had given them thirty minutes to find what they could on the map and then led them through the mistakes they made, both the obvious and the not so obvious. The worst part was that she couldn't fault him in any way. Ron had only insightful suggestions to make and had been helpful and thorough when he made his explanations. He had displayed a truly spectacular knowledge of military tactics that had left the entire Gryffindor fifth year completely gob smacked.

For the first time Hermione could truly understand what Harry had meant when he had tried to explain to her just how good Ron was. She'd brushed it off, felt hurt that he hadn't thought her good enough but when compared to Ron what did she have to offer? She told Harry this as they waited for Ron to gather up the maps of Hogwarts he had been using for his demonstration.

'Well I did tell you.'

'I know,' Hermione admitted, her eyes never leaving Ron. She watched him gathering his things together, trying to figure out when he had developed such a unique and useful skill.

'Think you can try and see what we see in Luna now?'

Hermione laughed, although it wasn't as steady as she would have liked. If this was what Ron was capable of, creating excellent strategies to defend Hogwarts against attack, then what was Luna capable of? The thought was honestly a little terrifying and Hermione promised herself she would at least try to see what Harry saw in Luna. She was pulled from her thoughts when Harry tapped her arm to alert her to the fact that Ron was finally ready to go.

'That was a wonderful lesson, Ron.'

Ron, taken completely off guard by a compliment on his skills by Hermione, nearly tripped over his own feet. A compliment from Hermione was almost as good as a new broom.

'Thanks, Hermione.'

Hermione beamed under Ron's smile but her happiness wilted slightly when his gaze shifted to something, or rather someone, over her shoulder and that smile she'd been so taken with became even brighter. If that were possible. She turned around to see what he was looking at just as Daphne stopped next to Harry.

'How'd it go?'

'It was bloody brilliant!' Ron answered excitedly. Then he was off, telling Daphne all about his lesson as they made their way to their shared Potions class.

Hermione fell behind and Harry fell in step with her. She barely noticed as her attention was focused intently on the interaction between Ron and the Slytherin girl. A sudden tightening in her chest went ignored as she refused to admit that perhaps she'd been a little too late in realizing Ron's potential.


	37. Chapter 31

**a/n: **a million giddy thank yous to my reviewers. this chapter totally kicked my butt and i'm off to bed. hope you enjoy it.

**Chapter 31**

It was the first time Harry got to see the house that would soon be home. Ally had shown him pictures of it before, both inside and out because she'd planned to redecorate while he was stuck at Grimmauld Place. But those photos had never truly managed to capture the emotions brought on by the house. Like the Burrow, it instantly drew him in. They had appeared on a small country lane lined with trees and while Ginny swore and put out her smoldering sleeve Harry took a good look around.

The house was hidden from view by a row of hedges and a big iron gate stopped muggles from wandering onto the property. A simple stone path led from the gate to the front door of a large two storey house that appeared a little run down but Harry could tell that was part of its charm. The front garden was large and open and Harry knew that if he were to go around the back he would find a vegetable garden well tended by Kipper. A chicken coop stood off to one side, surrounded by clucking chooks free to wander about the yard. In the back ground was a breathtaking view of the mountains and a forest Harry was aching to explore in panther form.

Harry could picture it already, how he and his daughter would collect the eggs from the chicken coop in the morning, how they would build an army of snow men in the front yard in winter. He could already imagine inviting the Weasley's over for a friendly game of Quidditch in the back field in summer time. This beautiful old house that had once been Ally's childhood home would be the beginning of a life, of a family Harry had always dreamed of. It was home.

'It's beautiful, Harry,' Ginny admired, interrupting his thoughts.

'Yes, it is,' he agreed. 'Come on, we haven't got much time before we're supposed to meet Als at the pub.'

Ginny grinned. 'I can't believe I finally get to see the Lonely Wench!'

Harry shook his head and tried not to laugh at her excitement as he led the way up the garden path toward the house. Pip opened the door before he got the chance to test out his key and for an aging elf she was certainly excited.

'Master Harry,' Pip greeted in her croaky wheeze. 'Kipper is taking care of the garden and Tilly is waiting for you in the nursery.'

'Thanks, Pip.' Harry took a step forward and then realized he had no idea where the nursery was. 'Uh, where am I going?'

'Pip is showing you the way!'

They followed Pip through the foyer and up a large staircase to the second floor where she directed them to a room on the left. Harry had to fight the urge to knock on the door. This was his home; he shouldn't have to knock on a door that was set to be his baby's nursery. So he thanked Pip and pushed the door open, not bothering to close it behind him. Ginny slipped in behind him and let out a low whistle. The room was completely filled with boxes and half assembled pieces of nursery furniture. Neither could see Tilly anywhere.

'Tilly?' Harry called, taking a few more steps into the room.

'I is here!' Tilly called.

'And here is where exactly?'

An arm shot up out from behind a pile of boxes and waved frantically. Chuckling, Harry made for the only part of his house elf he could see. She was buried in a box of stuffed toys and she'd just thrown an arm around the corner while she continued to search for whatever it was she was looking for. Being raised by Ally had definitely made Tilly a little different for a house elf.

'What are you looking for, Tilly?'

'This!' Tilly proclaimed, straightening up victoriously and holding out a very old looking white teddy bear. 'We is ready to start now.'

'Start what?' Ginny questioned, she had no idea why exactly Harry had dragged her here first rather than just going straight to the bar.

'We're going to decorate the nursery for Ally.'

**

* * *

**

Tonks was sneaky by nature. When she wasn't being clumsy and tripping over ugly umbrella stands sneaky was a basic description of her job. This was starting to feel a little ridiculous. When she was a kid her father had taken her to see a muggle movie about a secret crime fighting organization who wore tights. Now, ever since she'd been drafted into helping Harry and Ally, she was beginning to find the whole dynamic of the Order a little ridiculous, similar to how she'd felt after seeing the movie. Were they going about this the right way? Was it really so necessary to hide out in the basement of a dirty old house waiting for the great Albus Dumbledore to come and show them the way?

Tonks snorted and Sirius who was seated beside her at the kitchen table, shot her a questioning look. In answer she shot a pointed look at the empty chair at the head of the table and then made a huge point of rolling her eyes. Sirius smirked and grabbed her by the neck in a rough hug, ruffling her hair. He had always been her favourite relative. However the hug was just a way for him to get close enough to whisper in her ear.

'You see it too?'

She nodded her head slightly. She didn't need him to clarify what he was saying but she was curious to hear what else he had to say.

'My room after the meeting.'

She nodded again and he released her. She took the opportunity to look around the room and found herself being pinned with a curious glare from Snape. He seemed to be contemplating something and she couldn't help wondering if perhaps Snape was seeing it too. She could tell McGonagall was beginning to think they were perhaps going about things the wrong way. Every time she glanced at Dumbledore's still empty chair her lips thinned and her eyes narrowed. Harry was going to have quite a few people ready to listen when the truth came out.

Green flames erupted in the fireplace and Dumbledore stepped into the kitchen. Finally they were ready to begin the meeting. Tonks was sure she wasn't the only one to notice just how tired and wary the leader of the Order looked. He took his seat at the head of the table and rested his elbows on the wooden surface and his chin on his steeped fingers.

'I fear,' he said tiredly. 'That Harry Potter is losing sight of the light.'

After an Order meeting spent devising new and wonderful ways to keep Harry from having any sort of life, Tonks excused herself form her conversation with Kingsley and McGonagall and slipped out of the kitchen after her cousin. The meeting had given her a lot to think about and she was eager to discuss it with Sirius, especially now that he was seeing what she was. Perhaps together they could begin to weed out those of the Order who blindly followed Dumbledore from those who could think for themselves.

The door to Sirius' room was ajar and she slipped inside, closing the door silently behind her and cast several spells to prevent people from interrupting or eavesdropping. When she turned around she found Sirius watching her with an amused grin from the bed. She moved forward to sit beside him, tripping over a discarded trainer on her way.

'Do you think there is any truth to what Dumbledore says about Harry?' Sirius sounded as though he were asking out of obligation to Harry not out of any belief that Tonks thought he was going dark side.

'Course not,' Tonks dismissed readily. 'He's just grown some over the summer.'

'That's a bit of an understatement.'

'Yeah.'

They sat in silence for a moment just thinking about why they were having this secret discussion in the first place. Tonks knew why she was there, she'd seen the changes in Harry and she knew what he was capable of. She also knew that a large part of those changes he'd undergone could be put to his growing relationship with Ally. She just wondered if Sirius was seeing those same things or if he was just itching to defy Dumbledore out of sheer spite over being trapped in Grimmauld Place.

'How many Death Eaters do you think he's captured?'

'Harry?' Tonks asked for clarification.

'Harry and the woman Dung saw him with.'

'A lot,' she guessed. 'He killed Aunt Cissy.'

Startled, Sirius turned to look at Tonks with widened eyes. 'I thought the rumors were that she had contracted some sort of illness or that Voldemort had done her in.'

Tonks shook her head. 'She got through the wards at Hogwarts during an ADADA session. She tried to kill Martin and Harry snapped her neck.'

'What about her body? And what are they doing about the wards?'

'They were learning to apparate so the wards were down and he fed her body to the Acromantula in the Forbidden Forest.'

Sirius let out a low whistle, impressed despite the horrible circumstances. 'How do you know all of this?'

'Dumbledore sent Remus and I to search Martin's house, Remus got stuck in the wards and when Martin arrived to get rid of us, well, I'm not stupid. Ally Martin is one of the best the Ministry has to offer. If she is involved then that's the side you want to be on. She's been sending information my way every now and then. Harry came to see me after he killed Cissy to tip me off. He gave me copies of all of their information and her wand.'

'So Harry is working closely with the new DADA professor who just happens to be a highly qualified ex-Auror and one of the Ministry's best Unspeakables,' Sirius murmured. 'Both of them believe Voldemort has returned?'

'Without a doubt,' Tonks agreed. 'McGonagall says Martin is working her students harder than they've ever been worked before and Reid has been very vocal to the right people about the right things to make her position clear. Harry's not stupid; he wouldn't associate with people who don't believe him.'

'I know.' It was a struggle for Sirius to come to terms with the idea that Harry was out there making a difference while he was stuck inside, hiding away from the world. 'What should we do to help, do you think?'

'We start by lifting these ridiculous restrictions Dumbledore wants to put in place. Harry has to have some freedom.'

'Why? I don't.'

'It won't be this way forever, Sirius.'

'I know it won't but I hate the thought that Harry's had to do most of this on his own. I should have been there to teach him half the stuff he's had to do studying out of books on his own.'

Tonks smacked him over the back of the head and then again on the chest for good measure. 'Self pity will get you nowhere,' she informed him.

Sirius rubbed his chest and glared at her and then he had an idea of how they could help Harry. 'What exactly is it the ADADA do?'

'No idea. It's all very hush, hush.'

'Think you could find out?'

'Possibly. What did you have in mind?'

'There have to be some things they can't do while stuck at Hogwarts, right?' Sirius began to explain the idea forming in his head. 'Maybe there are people they can't contact, places they can't get to.'

'You're suggesting we become their link to the outside world?'

Sirius nodded. 'I'm suggesting we start fighting dirty right back.'

Tonks grinned, that was an idea she could get behind.

**

* * *

**

It was love at first sight. There wasn't a thing about the Lonely Wench that Ginny didn't love. From the crowded bar to the done up girls selling themselves. The whole atmosphere was one of fun and joy, so far from the atmosphere of distrust that had been hanging around Hogwarts recently. It was comfortable. The moment Harry had entered he'd been greeted by several people and not in the hero-worship style of strangers who recognized the Boy-Who-Lived. Harry greeted them all by name and stopped for a quick word and to introduce her. All in the span of ten minutes she met two star Quidditch players, a healer at St Mungo's, three small and frizzy haired women who were apparently going to be the next big thing on the WWN and a young wizard just about to complete his Auror training who lived in the apartment below Ruby.

It was a little overwhelming but she enjoyed every frenzied minute in which she forgot several names and was gently directed toward a table where Ally and Ruby sat surrounded by presents. There was a small banner hovering above Ally's head that proclaimed her to be the birthday girl. Ginny sat down with a relieved sigh and was immediately approached by a barmaid loaded down with a tray of drinks.

'What'll it be, sugar?' the barmaid inquired, placing a glass of Firewhiskey in front of Ruby and a Butterbeer in front of Ally.

'Butterbeer thanks.'

'Firewhiskey, Potter?'

'Thanks, Fran.'

Fran wandered back toward the bar, stopping at a nearby table to deliver the rest of the drinks on her tray. Ginny took another long look around while Ally was much more interested in opening her presents. She was bouncing eagerly and every now and then someone would wonder passed their table and offer her some birthday wishes or deposit another present.

'Can I open them now?'

Harry rolled his eyes and leant back in his chair to watch. He had an arm draped along the back of Ally's chair and he was playing with a few strands of her hair. It was interesting, for Ginny at least, to view Harry interacting with Ally in an environment he felt totally comfortable in. Well, an environment he felt comfortable displaying his relationship in anyway. Ginny felt pretty sure you could never be uncomfortable in the Lonely Wench. Ally tore into a small blue package while Ginny eyed a witch taking up the services of a barmaid. She watched as the two disappeared toward the wall and reappeared a moment later on the stairs heading up to the rooms. With a grin over the words her mother would have to say if she ever found out where she was, Ginny turned back to witness the unwrapping of gifts.

'Am I supposed to know what this is?'

It looked to be a small round fluffy gold object; if you squinted it almost appeared to have little silver wings. Harry grabbed the box to see who it was from.

'It's from Dobby; I think it's supposed to be a toy Snitch for the baby.'

'Oh,' Ally nodded. 'That was nice of him.'

The rest of her presents were not nearly as confusing, the best bar far being the Pensieve from Ruby.

'Well, you have to have something to view all of those memories in,' she explained.

'What memories?' Ginny asked.

Harry explained to her the present he had created for Ally and why she would need a pensieve. Ginny gave him a goofy grin and laughed at just how romantic he had unintentionally been. Harry tried to glare at her but Ally kissed him instead and distracted him nicely.

'I doubt it will last long,' Ruby laughed. 'Take what you can get, Als.'

Harry poked his tongue out at her. 'Speaking of romantics, still no sign of Aiden?'

Ruby stuck her tongue out at him and then looked around as though hoping her fiancé would magically appear. It would have been nice had it actually happened, magical or not. It would be just her luck he would go and break the record for longest vanished right when they were supposed to be planning a wedding.

'Still missing, though Richard reckons there have been sightings.'

'Sightings?' Ginny was under the impression that those who vanished from the pub were not seen again until they reappeared in Siberia. 'I thought they just vanished until they popped back out of wherever it is they go.'

'It's a bit strange, really,' Ally explained. 'Usually before they turn up properly people catch glimpses of them, sort of like ghosts.'

'That's horrible.'

'They enjoy it actually; they're always pretty giddy when they reappear.'

'Couldn't that just be joy over finally being back?'

'Nah,' Ruby answered. 'They're drunk off their faces and boasting about strange things. They're just really happy.'

Though Ginny hoped she wouldn't be unfortunate enough to ever experience vanishing off the face of the earth and appearing in Siberia first hand, she sort of hoped someone would return or vanish just so she could better understand how it happened. She raised her glass for a toast and to distract her from silly thoughts that involved flashy magical bangs and smoke when someone disappeared.

'To Ally on her three hundredth birthday.'

'To Ally!'


	38. Chapter 32

**a/n: **okay, its been way too long since my last update but unfortunately i think for the next couple its going to have to be fortnightly. School has to take some sort of priority if i plan to finish in november. also, i've been getting a lot of shifts at work now that i'm a supervisor (stupid night shifts). i have never been so tired as i was on sunday night. anyway. a huge thank you to all of my reviewers for being the best readers in the world and a quick apology for the rambling sentences in the middle of the chapter. they are intentional. so enjoy, drop me a review, read on!

**Chapter 32**

For the first time in a long time Sirius felt like he could breathe properly. He was no longer restricted to the dark hallways of Grimmauld Place, he was free. Admittedly free was hidden under a cloak and a half dozen glamour charms but he was still out there. He was still free to do what had to be done to help Harry, to fight the war against Voldemort. While Remus walked around Grimmauld Place concerned for his friend and moping over the state of his not-relationship with Tonks, Sirius was skulking around some of the more unsavory magical businesses. He was still hardly able to believe it, could still remember the feeling of Tonks handing him a heavy parchment envelope and a basket of clothes.

'I don't do laundry,' she'd told with a wink.

Naturally he had been confused as he didn't remember asking her to do any washing for him but then he had opened the letter to find the clothes were part of a care package from Harry and his ADADA. Some of it had been quite amusing, especially the letter on noticing the unnoticeably Luna Lovegood had written. The package had also revealed a side of Harry that had only been hinted at during his stay at Grimmauld Place. Though Sirius had had very little actual contact with his godson, most of his information and orders (for lack of a better word) having come from Tonks, it was still apparent that his godson had become a force to be reckoned with.

A force that had handed him (via Tonks) a stack of gold and a list of not entirely legal texts he was supposed to track down. The note attached to the list had told him any texts that took his fancy could be liberated also. What Harry hadn't mentioned was that while texts one through seven would be easily bought, or as easy as anything is when threats and bribery are involved, books eight, ten and eleven were in fact part of a private collection.

That was why he was wearing an extra three concealment charms and loitering in an alley near a muggle apartment building that was owned by a respectable member of the Hogwarts board of governors. It wouldn't do for anyone to find out that respectable Melissa Jonathon had one of Britain's largest collections of dark arts books hidden away in a simple muggle apartment. It also meant that when Sirius wandered in and emptied the place of anything useful there would be no one she could complain to.

He had to wait a little over two hours before he could make his move. Unfortunately he had picked what appeared to be one of the few days Jonathon spent in her library of sorts. He had to wait for her to leave before he could even attempt to break in. Once he was sure she was gone he gave it another half hour before he crossed the street and slipped inside the building. The apartment was located on the fourth floor and it was apparent even before he reached it that there was some serious magic protecting the place.

He wasn't going to do anything rash like Remus had done striding into Martin's home. Mostly because Sirius had laughed really hard after hearing about that and he didn't want Remus laughing at him in turn. The first hurdle was a very subtle charm that was intended to distract anyone attempting to pass with the sudden urge to go for a Butterbeer. Sirius wasn't so easily swayed and he stepped straight through the ward like it was just a cobweb. The second ward wasn't so simple, it was a rather nasty itching hex that, had he walked through it, would have likely had him scratching every available piece of skin against every hard surface.

It wasn't something he wanted to be doing while trying to steal things. He quickly dispelled that ward and this time he made it to the front door. The door handle was jinxed so flicked his wand casually at the door and opened it that way instead. He promptly ducked a purple ball that came hurtling towards his head. It hit the wall behind him with a wet splat and what looked suspiciously like a sleeping potion dribbled down the wall. Jonathon was turning out to be his kind of woman. So far she had used simple amusing spells aimed to turn people away and not get her in trouble with the ministry. The water balloon like sleeping ball had been particularly genius and he made a note to mention it to the twins next time he saw them.

Finally through the door he was confronted by one large room, every wall was lined with bookshelves completely filled with books. A table, about waist high, sat in the centre of the room and though it had chairs pulled up to it, its main function appeared to be a huge display table for a wealth of dark objects that any one of Voldemort's Death Eaters would have loved to get their hands on. Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to send a tip to the Ministry once Voldemort had been defeated; it wouldn't do to have this kind of material in Ministry hands just yet.

He pulled out the list of books Harry thought would be a part of this collection and attempted to summon them off the shelves. It didn't work but it did result in stunning spells being aimed at him from a dozen different directions. He dropped to the floor and rolled onto his back to watch the spells whizzing over him. He let out an exhilarated laugh. This, this was what life should be like. Still lying on his back he fired disabling charms at each of the objects omitting the stunners and then slower got back to his feet. A quick revealing spell showed that not only was the whole collection jinxed but each book in turn was then hexed or cursed in some way.

'Bloody hell!'

In the end it took him three hours to disable all of the curses, wards, hexes and jinxes that Jonathon had used to protect her collection. By the time it was over Sirius had to take a quick break, slumping into one of the chairs and resting his arms on the table. Right on top of another book. He glanced briefly at the title, intending to shove it out of the way, when the title caught his attention.

_Physically Manifesting Mental Attacks_ by Obe S. Cure.

Sirius quirked a brow and chuckled at his good fortune. What were the chances that he would stumble upon a book that proved to be so promising when in search of others? A quick read through of the introduction proved just how useful this little tome could be. With renewed energy Sirius began his search of the shelves, dropping anything that looked to be useful or simply to dark to be left in the care of a witch with questionable loyalty into a bag. He was immensely glad Tonks had charmed it to be bigger on the inside and virtually weightless. By the time he had worked his way completely around the room the shelves were considerably barer and he was carrying what had to be over a hundred books in his bag. He'd even come across a few that had been further down his list, ones that he'd thought he was going to have to shed quite the number of galleons to get a hold of.

Life had definitely improved for Sirius Black.

It had not, however, improved for Ally Martin who wanted to be Ally Potter who was sore and tired and the Ministry were a bunch of ignorant weak minded fools and her feet hurt and she was trying really hard to pay attention to the words coming out of Luna's mouth but all she was getting was static and sitting on the floor had been a stupid idea because she couldn't get up again and all she wanted to do was cry about it and, well, she wouldn't mind some pudding but Harry wasn't there.

And she knew it was her hormones working her over but right that moment she wanted to be able to throw a good old fashioned tantrum like a whiny teenaged girl or take it out on Harry which was always good for a laugh and mostly made her feel better, at least until the guilt kicked in but she couldn't because he was in detention with Snape for something she couldn't even work up the strength to care about and Ginny's perfume was making her gag.

And Harry's damned daughter was kicking her like mad for extra space she didn't have to give. And she was just so sick of being pregnant! The sudden silence in the room had her opening her eyes to find Daphne and Emmy peering down at her in concern. A quick look around told her that her rambling pregnant thoughts had been all the cover the ADADA needed to sneak away. A deep breath told her Ginny wasn't around. Both girls extended a hand toward her and heaved her to her feet.

'My mother got the same look just before my sister was born,' Emmy said with a sympathetic smile. 'She called it her "pregnancy bad" phase.'

Ally snorted to show she was amused but still too tired/sick of being pregnant to bother laughing.

'Come on,' Daphne laughed, she found the entire thing funny. 'We'll help you back to your room.'

Ally didn't actually need the help once she was on her feet but she appreciated the thought. Although once she was standing her daughter started to do an Irish jig against her insides.

'Damn kid has her daddy's kick,' Ally muttered rubbing her stomach soothingly.

'Next time I see Harry I'll be sure to kick him extra hard.'

The moment the words were out of her mouth Daphne froze. Emmy's eyes widened and she shared an alarmed look with her friend. It may have been common "knowledge" in the ADADA but it was the first time Harry's role in Ally's pregnancy had ever been mentioned aloud to Ally. The whole topic was almost taboo, and though Harry himself had alluded to his role, it still wasn't mentioned. At least not outside of the ridiculous comments Ron kept throwing at Harry just to make him squirm. Daphne knew he'd been conspiring with Tonks. Ally didn't seem the least bit fazed and anyone who didn't know her well would have thought she hadn't reacted at all. Daphne and Emmy did know her though; at least they knew her well enough to notice the mild pause in her pace.

'Make sure you get him in the shin.'

'Will do,' Daphne replied with a relieved sigh.

'Fred on Dumbledore duty?'

'Uh huh,' Emmy answered. 'George got word that after his detention with Harry Snape is going to meet with Dumbledore.'

Ally nodded, though she couldn't help wondering just how much she had missed during her fed-up-with-pregnancy moment. 'Here's hoping Harry's Occlumency shields hold up.'

**

* * *

**

Snape scowled at Harry while he scrubbed the second years' cauldrons clean of a tough to remove potion. The idea was to keep the boy distracted leaving Snape free to peruse his thoughts. Dumbledore had warned him that Harry was showing some skill in Occlumency so Snape was merely scratching the surface, skimming through the random memories and thoughts on the top of Harry's mind. It was rather sickening, though greatly enlightening. It helped that the potion Harry was scrubbing away was giving off fumes intended to open the mind.

Harry's thoughts were wandering aimlessly and Snape was having a very hard time putting together a simple and coherent memory. Especially when a disturbing fantasy involving the new DADA professor and a desk kept surfacing in Harry's mind. Snape could see some form of memory charm in his future to erase the childish fantasy. He couldn't have known that Harry was merely remembering a rather adventurous earlier encounter with Ally. He did however stumble across something rather interesting while mentally closing his eyes.

Harry held memories of fights with Death Eaters. Fights that Dumbledore was not aware of, fights that even Snape wasn't aware of Harry participating in. There was a brief glimpse of a bar and Ruby Reid. Ginny Weasley talking with an older man over a glass of mead. There were images of the allusive advanced defense class that included something Snape never would have associated with Ron Weasley: intelligence. The image that provided Snape with the greatest shock was that of Narcissa Malfoy choking Ally Martin and then of her lifeless body falling to the floor.

Harry had been witness to the death of a Malfoy. More than that, he had been the cause of her death. Snape struggled to reconcile his two conflicting images of Harry Potter. On the one hand was the arrogant fifteen year old boy who took after his father, getting into pointless trouble and flaunting his disregard for rules. On the other was the image of an older, stronger Potter who fought Death Eaters and was responsible for the death of a prominent member of society.

'Makes you think, doesn't it?'

Snape jumped at the sound of Harry's voice but it was his words that struck him hard. 'What was that, Potter?'

Harry gathered his things despite the fact that his detention was supposed to last for another half hour. He shouldered his bag and headed for the door and Snape was so stunned he couldn't seem to form the words of a protest. Harry paused and turned to look at him over his shoulder.

'What else am I hiding?'

Snape was left with the disconcerting truth that everything he had just gleaned from Harry's mind was thoughts and memories he had been allowed to see. Harry had been in control the entire time and had he not said anything Snape would never have known. It was more than a little worrying though it did answer a number of questions that had been burning within Snape since Harry had first appeared at Grimmauld Place a changed boy.

Harry had secrets, that was obvious. What he hadn't counted on was that those things Harry was hiding were a great deal bigger and a lot more important than the pathetic teenage rebellion of a wannabe hero he had assumed. They were also far greater than the darkness Dumbledore feared of him. Harry Potter had done what even Dumbledore and his Order had not managed to do. He had taken the fight to Voldemort and he was holding strong. Snape didn't need to see into Harry's head to know that he had merely seen the tiniest percentage of the battles the boy had fought. He didn't need to be granted that access like earlier to understand that Harry Potter was fighting a war while the greatest wizard of the time was sitting behind a desk worrying over the little things.

It was a horrible feeling to know that the small secrets he had seen, though not enough yet, were close to that which would sway him from the path Dumbledore had set them on. Snape would find out what he could about Harry but he would share it with no one. That much he owed Lily. He just hoped he could hold out against Dumbledore in their meeting later. Like many of the Order he had begun to notice that Dumbledore was…slipping. Also like many of the Order he wasn't about to do anything. He wasn't sure there was anything that could be done. Dumbledore was Dumbledore and he would always do things his way. No matter that stalking a fifteen year old boy using highly trained Ministry Aurors was more than a little creepy.

But he wouldn't admit that to Dumbledore because deep down he knew how badly Voldemort wanted to see the boy dead. Not that that made him agree with Dumbledore's actions but he had enough respect for the man and enough experience to know that fighting it wouldn't be worth the effort.

He made sure to strengthen his Occlumency shields long before he arrived at the stairs to the headmaster's office, just in case. He knocked gently on the door and waited for the gentle words of permission to enter. The moment he stepped into the room the base instinct he'd long begun to associate with the Weasley twins kicked into gear. It was a sixth sense almost that had allowed him to avoid numerous pranks aimed his way. It may very well have been his magic building up a warning system after so many attacks. Or it could have been a sure sign of early onset madness. It didn't matter how the bizarre skill had come about only that it had served him well in catching the bloody twats in the act. There was a Weasley twin in the office and he was hidden very well.

Snape shook himself. Harry's revelations had put him on edge and he was imagining things. After all, the headmaster would definitely have noticed someone hiding in his office. Dumbledore offered him a questioning look and a lemon drop. He ignored both and took a seat.

'How was your detention with Harry, Severus?'

It was so unlike Dumbledore to get straight to the point these days that it actually took Snape a few moments to decide whether or not he was actually seated before the headmaster or if it was someone under polyjuice.

'It was enlightening.'

'Oh?' Dumbledore murmured which was in fact Dumbledore speak for "please, tell me everything you know".

'I believe your concerns that the boy has chosen to follow a darker path are unfounded.'

It was the closest he had ever come to anything remotely positive being spoken aloud about Potter and it almost killed him to do it. Aligning himself (possibly) with Harry in his head was one thing but out loud was not something that would or could happen.

'You are sure?'

Snape once again pictured the quick and efficient death Narcissa Malfoy had suffered and the reasons for her death. He tried not to think too much about that horrific fantasy but he did take a moment to focus on what he had gleaned about the ADADA. He'd seen the face of each member and seen the intelligence that Weasley kept well hidden from view. He'd seen, been shown, a fight against two Death Eaters a few months ago between Potter and Reid. He glimpsed the skill Potter was hiding and the lengths he was willing to go to in order to see Voldemort fall, he couldn't imagine the Harry of a year ago killing anyone, let alone Narcissa Malfoy.

He looked up at Dumbledore and grimaced. 'I'm positive.'


	39. Chapter 33

**a/n: **well its been a much longer wait than i intended but exams and classes are over now (hopefully for good) so updates will be weekly again. i'd like to say a huge whopping thank you to my wonderful and awesomely kind reviewers. i'd also like to thank oceanlover14 for the guide extract. please let me know your thoughts on this chapter and i hope you enjoy it.

**Chapter 33**

It was the first time he would get to meet Ally Martin and it was almost embarrassing how excited he was about it. This was the witch who'd had such a great influence on his godson, who had teamed up with a fifteen year old boy to defeat Voldemort. His excitement could also be attributed to the fact that this meet and greet was taking place in a pub and he hadn't had a good drink in a while. At least not one that was surrounded by the proper pub atmosphere and that smelled like a lot of alcohol had been spilled, consumed and possibly rolled in.

'I think I singed the ends of my hair.'

Sirius looked up from his drink and got his first good look at Martin. Her blonde hair hung loose over her shoulders and he couldn't help agreeing that the ends looked slightly singed. She had on simple jeans and a t-shirt under a dark cloak and a charm hung on a long leather cord around her neck. She was heavily pregnant and he had to wonder how it was that a woman who had to lower herself into a chair slowly was supposed to help bring down Voldemort.

'How'd you manage that?'

'Flame travel,' she answered with a shrug.

Once she was settled comfortably opposite him she gave him a quick once over. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, very much aware that he was being assessed and hoping to Merlin that she liked what she saw.

'You're looking better.'

Better implied she'd seen him before. 'Have we met?'

'Nope,' she assured him. 'But you spent twelve years locked up in Azkaban, I can do the math.'

He wasn't sure how he was supposed to respond to that, he wasn't really sure how he was supposed to respond to her at all. He felt like a conversation with Harry would get his feet back under him but that wasn't likely to happen until Christmas. Until then, he would have to do with Tonks giving explanations.

'We've got another job for you.'

'What is it?'

Martin nodded in the direction of the bar where two young girls were joking with one of the younger men behind the bar.

'I see them,' he acknowledged. 'Bit young to be here aren't they?'

'Oh, they're with me. Shorter one is Abby, the other is Emmy. I need you to take them out tonight and teach them how to track Death Eaters.'

Sirius shifted in his seat and took another look at the girls. He didn't need to talk with them to know that Abby was younger than Harry and that Emmy couldn't that much older. He gave Martin an incredulous look, sure that she must be joking.

'Oh, I'm not kidding,' she said, correctly interpreting his look. 'The man they're talking to has been seen hanging around a number of known Death Eaters. They know what they're doing, Sirius, they just lack experience.'

'And you want me to give it to them?' Sirius was sure the expression on his face had gone from incredulous to one that said he thought she was insane.

'They know how to fight, I've taught them how to apparate, they're good and they need this.'

'Do they know who I am?'

The thought of having to teach a couple of young girls who didn't know who he was, that he was a convicted murderer, wasn't all that appealing. Most people who had accidentally bumped into him had reacted with nothing but fear.

'They do.'

'Does everyone know that I'm innocent and working against Voldemort?'

'No, just everyone Harry trusts knows.'

'And that is everyone he's ever met?'

Martin shot him a contemptuous look. 'We tell who we trust because they have proven themselves worthy,' she said smartly and then she smirked. 'You're not the biggest news now that Voldemort is back. Even if the wizarding world is trying to deny it, you've shifted down a few notches on their priority list.'

'I don't know whether to be happy about that or a little disappointed I'm no longer considered the most wanted man.'

'I'd be happy,' Martin advised, completely ignoring the sarcasm. 'Harry's working really hard to bring Voldemort down and it would be a hell of a lot easier to do with you not in Azkaban.'

Sirius mulled that over for a moment and spent a bit of time considering whether she lacked a sense of humor or it was just a really serious situation.

'Right, guess I best get tracking.'

'They'll meet you out front in ten.'

The girls didn't so much meet him out front as materialize out of the darkness about the right time. Sirius jumped at the sudden movement and glanced at the girls standing either side of him.

'Nifty trick.'

'You weren't paying attention,' Emmy told him succinctly.

'Apparently not.'

He studied each girl up close for a moment and started to feel all over again that this was a stupid idea. He couldn't in good conscience take these girls out tracking Death Eaters. There was a very real possibility they would get hurt and he doubted their parents knew what they were up to. He could just see the headlines in the morning's _Daily Prophet_ "Murderer Sirius Black Kidnaps and Kills young Hogwarts Students". It wasn't something he particularly wanted to see happen.

'You're not half as sexy as Ginny said you were,' Abby informed him, breaking him out of his thoughts. 'Have you been letting yourself go? Only Harry says when you're in a funk your hair gets all,' she made a strange motion with her hands designed to demonstrate complete chaos of the hair.

Sirius gave her a funny look, not knowing whether to comment on the hair or the fact the Ginny had apparently described him as sexy. Best to go with the hair, it was the safer option.

'Given that Harry's hair does this,' and he repeated her crazy hand gesture, 'on a good day, I can't see him talking.'

'Fair point,' Abby acknowledged. 'I got him with some muggle styling gel a couple of weeks ago.'

Emmy nodded. 'This,' crazy hand motion, 'went to this.' She pulled a scowl and stuck all her fingers up in the air to imitate spikes.

Sirius laughed. He hadn't been properly introduced and they hadn't spent more than ten minutes together but they'd won him over. He could see a little of himself in them, perhaps even a small twist of the Weasley twins, a dangerous combination for anyone not on their side.

'So who are we hunting?'

Emmy motioned back over her shoulder into the pub, though her eyes were focused on the dark lane stretching in front of them. 'The wizard we were talking to has ties to a half a dozen known and suspected Death Eaters.'

'What kind of ties?'

'He's related to them.'

'And he's the weakest link?'

'Not really, no but he's easier to manipulate on account of being a hormonal teenager who has the misfortune of being homeschooled.'

Sirius couldn't help wincing; he remembered being a hormone driven teenager. He'd had access to plenty of girls and the reputation and good looks to make them willing. Still he couldn't feel too much sympathy if the boy was dealing with Death Eaters. He'd managed to separate himself from his own evil relatives; there was no reason the kid couldn't if he was so inclined.

'He's coming now.'

'Did you tag him?' Sirius asked, referring to the trick of marking someone with a certain spell or word that made them easier to track, even when they apparated suddenly.

Both girls gave him a shrewd look that suggested they thought him an idiot. There was no point in mentioning how often people forgot to do it, or even how often it was impossible to get close enough. They shrank back into the shadows and waited for the young man to pass. For someone who was supposed to be working he sure was wavering a bit while he walked. He staggered to the end of the lane and then turned on the spot disappearing from sight.

'Ready?'

In answer Emmy and Abby disapparated, giving him just moments to grab a hold of Emmy's sleeve and follow them. This was going to be an exhausting experience and an exhilarating one.

**

* * *

**

'You need to read this.'

Startled by the sudden interruption to his breakfast, Ron looked up at Daphne with a frown. She held a book out to him and Ron recognized it before his hands had even finished reaching for it. It was a copy of Harry's dating guide. He'd known the twins were discussing publishing it but he hadn't realized it had already been done. He took it and flipped it over in his hands.

'Why do I need to read this?'

'Because you're taking me to Hogsmeade this weekend and I expect you to know what you're doing.'

'I'm what?' The news that he had a date for that Saturday was completely new to him. 'When did that happen?'

'Don't question it,' Daphne advised. 'Enjoy your breakfast.'

She turned and made her way back along the Gryffindor table, Ron staring after her with his mouth open. She bumped into Harry on her way out of the Great Hall and offered him a swift and forceful kick to the shin before brushing passed him.

'What the bloody hell was that for?' he shouted after her, rubbing his shin with one hand and leaning heavily on Hermione's shoulder to maintain his balance with the other.

Daphne merely grinned at him and kept walking.

'What was that about?' Ron asked.

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him. He was reading at the breakfast table. Ron was reading at the breakfast table and ignoring food. She was tempted to lean across the table to feel his forehead.

'Any idea why Daphne just kicked me?'

'Did you piss her off?' he questioned, turning the page of his book.

Harry had to think about that for a moment. There was always the possibility he had pissed her off but he liked to think he'd remember if he had. 'No, I don't think so.'

Ron shrugged. 'I don't pretend to understand women.'

Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Honestly Ron, she probably told you why she was mad and you just ignored her like you ignore everything I tell you.'

'I don't ignore everything you tell me, Hermione, I just choose not to listen.' He gave her winning smile that momentarily stole her breath but before she could think too much on it he was throwing down his book and turning to Harry. 'Explain this to me.'

'What is it?' Harry picked up the book and flipped it over to get a look at the cover. Then he choked on a laugh. 'They got this out quick.'

'Yeah, I'll make sure to thank them,' Ron growled.

'Why are you reading it?'

'I'm taking Daphne to Hogsmeade.'

Whatever Harry might have said in response was drowned out by the sound of Hermione's milk jug tipping over and colliding with her plate. Milk spread quickly along the table and into her lap. She leapt back from the table, almost falling over the bench and whipped out her wand to clean up the mess. Both Ron and Harry gave her weird looks but then turned back to their conversation before she had to give an explanation. Probably a good thing.

'Good for you mate, I like Daphne.'

'Me too, it was just easier when I didn't have to learn all of this stuff.'

Harry shrugged. 'Just start with the basics. Look.' Harry grabbed up the guide again and flipped lightly though it. 'On the first date open the doors, pull her chair out, be the ultimate gentleman, and under no circumstances think that commenting on the way she eats is a good idea.'

'I can do that.'

'It's a start.'

'That's very nice of you Harry,' Hermione commended, having sufficiently recovered from her milk soaked humiliation. 'It's good to do the little things.'

Then she glared at Ron and stormed away from the table.

'What was that about?'

'You're kind of dense Ron.'

'Thank you, Abby, that's so very kind of you.'

'You're welcome.'

Ron glared at her and suggested she sit at her own house table but she just ignored him and started filling up a plate.

'Why am I dense?'

'Ah,' Ginny said squeezing in beside Harry. 'Perfect timing.'

Harry snorted and Ron glared around at his friends. 'Fine, go ahead and laugh. Just remember that I at least have a date for Saturday.'

'You've got a date?' Ginny gasped. 'Did Hermione finally ask you?'

Ron, in a moment that likely would stick with Ginny as one of the few times she saw more than one side to her brother, rolled his eyes.

'Daphne, Gin. Hermione is still trying to change me.'

Recognizing the brilliant parting line potential he'd just executed, Ron gathered up the _Guide_ and left the table with a smirk. His friends were left staring at the space he'd just occupied trying to reorder their opinion of Ron's intellect. And not for the first time recently either.

'I know I had a late night but that just happened, right?' Abby asked. 'I'm not still asleep?'

Ginny helpfully leant across the table and pinched her. 'It happened. I think he's been talking to mum for advice.'

'I'm a little proud,' Harry grinned, draping an arm across Ginny's shoulders. 'Our little Ronnie-kins is all grown up.'

Ginny grinned and then her smile wilted slightly. 'Was Hermione upset when Ron announced his date plans?'

'There was a river of milk and a desperate attempt to flee.'

'That's me gone, then,' Ginny sighed. 'I might see you sometime around dinner.'

Once Ginny was gone, looking rather put upon given she was just executing some well known friend duties, Harry turned his attention to Abby. The dark circles under her eyes were a testament to the long night she had spent Death Eater tracking with Emmy and Sirius.

'So, how is my godfather doing?'

**

* * *

**

Ginny found Hermione in a secluded and dark corner of the library hiding her pain in a very old and tattered spell book that was likely not too happy with being used as a tissue. She eased herself into the seat opposite and waited patiently for Hermione to broach the usually taboo topic of Ron. It wasn't often Ginny could stomach the idea of a heart to heart about any kind of romantic relationship about her brother and having two or three in such a short period was going to have lasting effects on her mental health. When it became clear that Hermione was going to be stubborn and not make the first move Ginny took charge.

'He has the right to date whomever he likes, Hermione.'

'I know.' Hermione lowered the book to the table, giving Ginny a good view of the tear tracks running down her cheeks. 'Why doesn't he see me?'

It was a loaded question and one Ginny wasn't sure she was wholly qualified to answer. It was time Hermione faced some truths and even if they weren't ones she wanted to hear, as was normal with this particular variety, they were ones she had to. Especially if she ever wanted to gain the kind of trust Harry required of his ADADA members and friends.

'I'm going to be honest with you and I don't want you to interrupt and I don't want you to get mad at me. Can you do that?'

Hermione nodded and swiped hurriedly at her damp cheeks.

'He sees you,' Ginny admitted quietly. 'On some level he's always seen you but you haven't always seen him.'

Hermione opened her mouth and then shut it with a snap when Ginny glared at her.

'Ron is who he is, we've talked about this. With Daphne he gets to be that guy, he gets to be the one good at strategy and planning. He gets to be fun and witty and there's no pressure of failing. He likes you, Hermione, and maybe one day it will be you he's on a date with but not now, not like this. Not when you don't see who and what he is.'

Hermione was quiet for a long time and Ginny waited patiently for whatever backlash was about to come of her truthful words, not knowing that the same words were ones that Hermione had been pondering just days earlier..

'Does she see him?'

'Yes.'

'Why her? He hates Slytherins.'

That was another interesting question that Ginny didn't think she was properly qualified to answer. She didn't know what it was that Daphne had done or said to catch her brother's attention. She wasn't even sure what had happened to help him see passed the house stereotypes but she wasn't about to complain. This new open and observant Ron was much nicer to have around. He was a better friend and much more tolerable big brother.

'I think they sort of work off each other,' Ginny guessed. 'They complement each other, she's good for him.'

'Will it last?'

'I can't answer that.' _And I don't want to_, she added silently. 'It will last as long as it lasts; all you can do is get more comfortable being his friend and learn about the Ron he doesn't show too often.'

'Ron has different sides?' Hermione attempted to joke but it fell flat.

'You'll learn to love them.'


	40. Chapter 34

**a/n: **thank you so very much to all of my wonderfull reviewers. i'm overwhelmed by your support. i know this chapter is kind of short but honestly i'm way too hot to care right now. stupid early summer. last i ventured outside it was 34 degrees (celsius). where is the trusting bay breeze that usually cools us down i ask?

**Chapter 34**

'Must we do this here?' one voice hissed, motioning over his shoulder at the children playing in the small park behind him.

'There is no other place,' another voice scolded. 'This is where we were told to meet and this is where we will meet.'

'There are people around,' a third voice croaked. 'Might be ears listening.'

'There are muggles around,' the second voice scolded. 'What do they know?'

The muggle children in question weren't muggles at all and if things went well the Death Eaters would never know how right the third of their number was. There were ears listening, the latest version of the Weasley twins' extendable ears to be exact. Abby and Emmy were disguised as muggle children out rather late playing Frisbee with their dog. The dog, Sirius in animagus form and spelled to be a rather light golden color, chased after the plastic muggle toy with far more enthusiasm than was strictly necessary from a grown man. The laughter wasn't fake; there was something mildly hysterical about throwing a Frisbee to a grown man.

'When is he getting here?'

'Now,' a fourth, colder voice announced.

The Death Eaters jumped in surprise and looked around, startled by the last member of their circles sudden and silent arrival.

'It's tonight,' the fourth voice announced. 'Wheeler, take the muggle family, kill them all.'

The second voice, now identified as Wheeler, nodded and gave a rather disturbing grin.

'Knox, there's a witch that needs a little persuading to join the Dark Lord, use any means necessary.'

Voice number one nodded, showing no emotion. The third voice turned out to be a new recruit named Church who was tasked with retrieving and object from a muggle museum. They stood milling about for a few more moments, not talking but waiting for something until one by one they apparated away. The fourth and still unnamed voice was the last to go and he apparated with a slimy grin and a lick of his lips. Abby, Emmy and Sirius continued to play for several moments until they were sure the Death Eaters were gone.

'You know what to do?' Sirius asked the moment he'd transformed back into his human self.

The girls nodded, both looking determined.

'Then go.'

**

* * *

**

Emmy drew the baby Death Eater, Church and the museum. She found him quick enough when she appeared on the steps in front of the doors. He was using his wand to unlock the doors, the front doors at that. Emmy shook her head wondering where Voldemort had picked up this idiot. He hadn't checked for muggle security guards or alarms and he was going in the front door. Emmy didn't know that much about muggle security outside of the brief explanation Harry had given but she knew enough to know that the baby Death Eater she was following was taking unnecessary risks.

Heavily concealed as she was beneath a multitude of secrecy charms she had nothing to fear from the cameras Harry had told her about. She could easily slip in and out without notice but if Church was caught then that limited her chances of getting some decent face time with whatever it was he was there to steal. She just hoped he pulled his head out and started to correct his mistakes. Once he had pointed her in the direction of the artifact or whatever it was then she was quite happy to let security nab him.

After countless minutes of wandering through exhibits it became obvious the baby Death Eater had no idea what he was looking for or where he might find it. Emmy turned her focus away from the Death Eater and onto the exhibits themselves. She hoped that if she took a good look around she might be able to find what Voldemort was seeking without having to wait for the stupid Death Eater to first figure it out. The first exhibit she paid close attention to was one on Ancient Egypt and there were half a dozen pieces that could have been related to the wizarding world. One particularly nasty ceramic vase had depictions of death and dismemberment that the muggles probably thought were signs of ritualistic purpose but was in fact the signs of a nasty curse that would…Emmy squinted and tilted her head to the side.

'Ouch,' she murmured. She wasn't fantastic at Ancient Runes, having given it up long before it would have proved useful, but even she knew what that little spiky squiggle meant. 'Note to self, avoid scary Egyptian cursed objects.'

She wandered through the next exhibit on Mesopotamia and caught up with Church in a small exhibit on Turkey. As luck would have it, he appeared to have found what he was looking for. It was, on closer inspection, a small bronze disk with funny markings on it that she didn't recognize. Never a good thing when dealing with powerful objects. Because that's what it had to be, there was no way Voldemort would send anyone after something like this if it didn't have some dark and twisted purpose. She crept close as the Death Eater pulled out his wand and made a sweeping motion at the glass display case. The object began to emit a soft blue light and Emmy felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

'Not good,' she muttered, not even caring that no one could hear her.

Church lifted the case up and off the display and then reached forward to grab the object. Emmy was moving before she'd even really processed the thought. It didn't matter, she was too late to stop what was happening. As if sensing the magic the disk began to pulse and it lurched out of the display with a mind of its own. It shot forward and would have smacked the stupid Death Eater in the forehead if Emmy hadn't leapt forward knocking him to the floor at just the right time. Church's eyes widened as she stood, shaking off her concealment charms and looking around warily for the magic hungry bronze disk.

'Who are you?' Church demanded, scrambling to his feet and whipping his wand to point at her.

'Shut it,' she snapped at him. There was a faint whistling getting closer and closer and then the disk came into site, hurtling at top speed toward her. She ducked and watched as the disk lodged in the wall behind her. 'What the hell is that thing?'

'I don't know,' Church admitted. 'Some sort of Turkish curse most likely.'

Emmy, who had worked that out for herself straight away glared at him. 'Some Death Eater you are.'

They both ducked this time as the object flew straight at them. Emmy felt around in her pockets for anything that might be useful but all she found was a wireless extendable ear and the dog collar she'd taken off Sirius earlier. The disk whizzed back at her but then changed direction part way and latched onto the unsuspecting Death Eater. Church went cross-eyed as he tried to see the coin stuck to his forehead. The light changed from soft blue to a deep green and then Church started screaming.

'Just great,' Emmy rolled her eyes.

The Death Eater collapsed to his knees breathing heavily and scratching at his face to try and remove the disk. It wasn't helping, he was merely succeeding in scoring gashes into his skin. Unsure what to do Emmy muttered the first spell that came to mind and fired what turned out to be a stunner at Church. He slumped unconscious and the disk flared an almost angry red. Emmy crouched beside him, wary that the thing was going to detach itself from him and latch onto her. Never taking her eyes off it she retrieved the knife Sirius had given her from her boot and used it to leaver the thing off Church's forehead. She likely did him a fair bit of damage as well but with a little force the coin popped right off. Before she could think much on it, and hoping to Merlin that it needed skin contact to work, she quickly stomped on it to keep it from moving while she tried to work out what to do with it.

'Just great.' There she was, standing on a crazy cursed coin with an unconscious and probably injured Death Eater for company. She couldn't help wondering if Sirius and Abby were having better luck.

**

* * *

**

Sirius wasn't having any better luck but he was having fun. He didn't really have to do much as the witch the Death Eater was supposed to be persuading to join Voldemort was putting up a very good, if not unique, fight of her own. Sirius tilted his head first to the left and then to the right and raised his eyebrows. That was…effective. The guttural groan that came from the Death Eater only reinforced Sirius' assumption. He shifted starting to feel a little dirty jut watching what was happening in the window across from him. That didn't exactly stop him from leaning back against the fence and getting more comfortable.

There was a sharp crack and a whimper and Sirius winced right along with the Death Eater. Not quite as effective but still quite a promising tactic. Sirius shifted again and his movement was followed but a wet splash and the Death Eaters yelp of surprise. Unexpected though the tactic had been it had the desired effect and the Death Eater started whimpering his surrender and apologies. Sirius had had enough of watching from the sidelines and pushed away from the fence. Not wanting to waste any time he stepped in through the window and greeted the witch who didn't even look surprised to see him. In fact she sort of whimpered a little herself.

'Sirius Black.' How she managed to make the name of a wanted, falsely accused murderer, sound so much like a purr was a little bit of a mystery.

Sirius blinked in surprise as he realized just who this witch was. She wasn't entirely a witch at all but she was a half witch that he recognized. 'Voldemort is seeking out half breeds now?'

She gave a shrug. 'Even he can find a use for my kind.'

They both gave a revolted shudder at the images that produced. 'Ack, bad images, bad images,' Sirius muttered.

'Gonna take him off my hands?' she motioned to the Death Eater strapped to the dining table with the knife Sirius only just realized she was holding in her hand.

'That was the plan.'

'Think you can spare a few hours?' she questioned with a sultry look.

Sirius grinned and aimed his wand over his shoulder at the Death Eater. A heavy clunk signaled that the Death Eater was now wrapped up in heavy chains and unlikely to go anywhere for a while.

'What the hell, he's not going anywhere.'

The half witch half siren grinned cheekily, grabbed the front of his shirt and hauled him down the hall. Sirius was pretty sure he was about to have as much fun as he did the first time he ran into this particular women at a party. A party way back when he was a runaway fifteen year old and she was a bored seventeen year old with nothing better to do than educate a young man on the joys of the world.

He really hoped Emmy and Abby weren't having this much luck.

**

* * *

**

Abby was not having fun that was for sure. In fact given where she was she might actually have been persuading to spend a little time trading places with Sirius. She was up to her knees in mud herding a muggle family away from their burning farm house and trying not to notice the distinct smell of cow in the air. She'd been hoping for a simple get in, stop the Death Eater and get out type of night. What she'd got instead was a terrified magic aware muggle family who, for reasons she hadn't had the time to ask yet, were living in a house so well guarded magically that the Death Eater had given up on getting in and just torched the place instead. He hadn't even bothered to use magic, just picked up a nearby fallen tree branch, lit it on fire and tossed it in the living room window.

'Stupid flammable house,' she muttered.

She was still unable to believe just how quickly the house had gone up. One minute she'd been thinking "bugger, better put that out" and the next the whole place was coming down and the muggle family of four was screaming and running out the front only to end up being attacked by the stupid Death Eater. That was when Abby had stepped in, throwing up quick shields to protect the family while trying to get close enough to attack the Death Eater.

But that was half an hour ago. The Death Eater was dead (and she wasn't going to think about that for as long as possible) and she was stuck trudging through knee deep mud to lead the family out of the sudden death trap of a farm. They were triggering wards left and right but so far none had deemed them worthy of harm for which Abby was eternally grateful. Finally after what seemed like hours of trekking but was probably only two they stopped at a little cabin on the very edge of the family's property. Abby collapsed onto the ground not caring that she was sitting it yet another puddle of mud.

'Why?' she asked tiredly, trekking through mud and battling Death Eaters could really tire a girl out. 'Why is your house so well protected?'

'We don't know exactly,' the husband answered honestly, though his words were an effort to get out he was breathing so heavily. 'Once a year a couple of wizards set up camp on the back of our property near the caves.'

'Caves?' Abby grumbled. 'Awesome.'

She flopped back to the ground and then the wards collapsed emitting a soft golden warning glow.

'Bloody awesome.'

**

* * *

**

Sirius was the first to appear at their designated meet point and he stood whistling while he waited. Emmy arrived next sporting a series of strange circular burns on her arms and looking tired and sweaty. Before he could even ask her about them Abby appeared looking like she'd taken a roll in mud and smelling like there had been pigs involved.

'What happened to you?' Sirius s laughed.

'Burning farmhouse, dead Death Eater and a muggle family that was far too protected.'

'Ah,' he nodded, smile fading slightly. 'And you Emmy?'

'Magic sucking Turkish coin.'

'Ouch.'

'What about you?' Abby asked.

Sirius grinned with a faraway look. 'Ex-girlfriend with a fixation on silk scarves and a surprisingly hard bed.'

Both girls glared at him.

'I'll keep the details to myself, shall I?' he suggested wisely. 'Home?'

They both glared at him again and vanished back to Hogsmeade. He thought about following them but wisely chose to give it a few days before he spoke to them again. No need to ruin a good mood by inadvertently getting castrated by two very angry teenage girls.


	41. Chapter 35

**a/n:** thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers be you members or anonymous, they're all appreciated. a special shout out to old-crow who has sent a few readers my way. read, review and most of all enjoy.

**Chapter 35**

True to form, the morning of the Hogsmeade trip found Ron in the Great Hall eating breakfast without showing any signs of being nervous about his impending date. Hermione was watching him like a hawk and Ginny was watching the both of them with something akin to exasperation. It didn't take long before the feel of Hermione's eyes on him was just too uncomfortable to ignore.

'What, Hermione? Why are you staring at me?'

'You're not panicking.'

'What?' Ron gave her a blank confused look and Ginny tried to hide behind the mornings _Daily Prophet_.

'I sort of assumed you'd be all nervous and twitchy about your date.'

Ginny winced over the way Hermione choked on the word date. Ron seemed oblivious to it but you never could be sure anymore about what Ron was or wasn't seeing. It was an uncomfortable feeling, knowing that they'd always underestimated Ron.

'Why would I be nervous and twitchy?'

'Because Daphne's a _girl_.'

'I should bloody well hope so,' Ron responded. 'What's your point Hermione?'

'Ugh, never mind!'

Hermione crossed her arms across her chest and glared at him; Ron merely shrugged in response and turned back to his breakfast. He'd just finished on his third piece of jam toast when Ginny threw the paper down in disgust right on top of his plate. Raising his eyebrows he picked up the discarded paper to find out what had her so peeved. He didn't find anything on his first glance.

'Enlighten me.'

'Fudge gave another interview about the Ministry's efforts to catch Sirius.'

'Anything interesting?' Ron folded the paper and put it aside so he could get a start on his bacon.

'Same as usual.'

'What is?' Daphne asked as she slipped into the chair Ron had been reserving for a still absent Harry.

Hermione opened her mouth to lie or maybe even tell Daphne it was none of her business but Ron beat her to it.

'Fudge babbling to the Ministry about catching Sirius.'

'Ron!' Hermione hissed. He waved her off.

'All they need is a siren and some scarves.'

Ginny snorted into her pumpkin juice and Ron gave a surprised laugh.

'You heard about that?'

'I think the whole castle heard about that,' Daphne told him. 'I was on watch when they came back, heard the whole dressing down.'

'Do tell,' Ginny leaned around Ron and started to ask questions about the overheard shouting match that had occurred on her watch of the Hogsmeade tunnel entrance.

'Great,' Ron muttered to Hermione across the table. 'Just what I need, my sister and my girlfriend gossiping.'

'Now you know how Harry feels,' Daphne patted his shoulder and then continued to relate the castration threat to Ginny.

Ron snorted. 'Ha! Abby hates to gossip. Lucky bastard,' he grouched.

'Harry's dating Abby?' Hermione gasped.

'What? Ew, no.' Ron yelped. 'Ow!' He whipped around and glared at Ally's back as she walked calmly toward the teachers table. He rubbed the back of his head and turned back to find Hermione looking entirely lost. 'You okay?'

Hermione sighed and it was a wary sound that suggested she was sick and tired of being left in the dark. 'No, Ron, I'm not okay. I have no idea what any of you are talking about and you're not making any effort to explain. You're just like Harry, you have plenty of secrets and you're not willing to share them. I'm supposed to be your friend Ron and all I get are closed off looks and people stopping mid-sentence when I enter the room.'

'That's hardly my fault, Hermione.'

'No, of course it's not, you're just following Harry's orders. It's always Harry isn't it?'

Drawn out of her conversation with Daphne despite not having all of the amusing details just yet, Ginny turned and frowned at Hermione.

'Taken out of context that could be taken entirely the wrong way.'

Hermione glared at her. 'It's true! Daphne knows what's going on better than I do and she's a Slytherin!'

'She's also sitting right here!' Daphne snapped. 'I know what I know because I've proven myself to Harry and Martin. I've given them reason to trust me and my judgment. Perhaps you should be focusing less on the secrets you're not being told and more on the trust you used to feel for your friends.'

'How do I trust people who constantly lie to me?'

'You don't trust friends because they tell you the truth about absolutely everything, Granger. You trust them because they are your friends and in this case have time and again saved you or risked themselves for you.'

'And what have you done to earn a level of trust that even I don't have?' Hermione demanded angrily. 'I doubt liking Ron gives you that much of an advantage.'

Nobody mentioned the clearly unspoken words that said if that were the case then Hermione would surely know everything.

'Not that it's any of your business, but I provide the ADADA with a unique service and a lot of information that would otherwise be difficult to come by. We all have our unique skills and it is those skills that have earned me their trust.'

Hermione gave a strangled choking noising and fled from the table with a sharp glare at anyone who dared get in her way.

'That was pleasant,' Ginny said finally, breaking the stunned and uncomfortable silence that had fallen over them. 'Well I'm off; I'm meeting someone in the Hogshead at ten.'

Ron frowned at her suspiciously. 'Who're you meeting?'

Ginny blushed and refused to meet his look. 'An Auror named Matt.'

Ron gaped like a fish for a moment and then remembered something his mother had said about Ginny being her own woman and being caught on the wrong end of a Bat Bogey if he put his foot in his mouth. He smirked instead.

'How old is he?'

Ginny grinned a little uneasily. 'Twenty one.'

'That's a little old for you don't you think?'

'Oh, it's not a date, Ron,' she assured her brother. 'I'm meeting him as a friend and trying to scope out if he can be trusted enough to get Tonks to bring him in or not.'

'Oh, well good luck then.'

'Back at you, big brother.'

Ron looked over at Daphne to ask her if she was ready and found her watching Snape with a puzzled look. He followed Snape's gaze and saw that he was studying Martin intensely. Ron really hoped he wasn't developing some sort of crush because he didn't think the potions master would survive whatever Harry would do to him.

'Do you think he knows something?' Daphne asked quietly, as though she expected Snape to hear her if she spoke any louder.

Ron shrugged as he slid off the bench and offered Daphne his hand. 'Harry let him get a look at a few of his memories, I think Snape must of seen something about Martin in there because he's been giving Harry these funny looks for days.'

Daphne screwed up her nose. 'She wasn't naked was she? Cause that would certainly explain it.'

'How so?'

Daphne paused to glare at Filch as he snarled at them and marked their names on a list. 'Luna said she was in the staff room a few days ago and Martin was in there alone. She said Snape came in, turned a funny shade of pink and left again.'

'What was Luna doing in the staff room?'

Daphne shrugged. 'No idea, Martin didn't even know she was there until she asked if Snape had been infested by some sort of blushing bug or something.'

'That girl really scares me sometimes.'

'You and me both.'

They walked in silence for a while feeling no need to speak. It said a lot about them that they were comfortable enough to just be around each other. Ron wasn't even sure when it had started but he knew it was a good sign. The silence was broken by Draco Malfoy's drawl.

'Greengrass, associating with blood traitors?'

Ron clenched his fist and probably would have snarled something stupid at Malfoy but Daphne squeezed his hand and pulled him onward. She called her parting words over her shoulder.

'I'm associating with a member of one of the oldest wizarding families in the world.'

Malfoy yelled something after them that sent Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy Parkinson into fits of laughter but Ron didn't hear him. Once they were a safe distance away Daphne released Ron's hand and waited for him to start ranting against Malfoy. To her surprise he took a deep breath and smiled. She didn't trust it one bit.

'Don't let him get to you.'

'I won't,' he assured her. Then before she could stop him he whipped out his wand and cast a spell back in Malfoy's direction.

'What did you do?'

'Bat Bogey. Not as good as Ginny's but it's got a nice kick.'

Daphne shook her head and laughed. 'He's going to know it was you and he's going to want revenge.'

'True,' Ron conceded. 'But he'll have a tough job of it.'

In the distance Malfoy could be heard shouting about his father around large bats.

'Do you want to explore Hogsmeade or torment Ginny?' Ron eventually questioned once they'd reached the edge of the village.

'Torment Ginny. Always.'

'Have I told you how brilliant you are today?'

'I could stand to hear it again.'

Ron thought about it for a moment. 'Nah.'

Daphne wacked him across the shoulder and shoved him forward. Ron laughed and darted away. She chased after him, trying not to laugh, and jumped on his back. They didn't pay any attention to the strange looks they were getting from the few Slytherins they passed or those Gryffindor's who knew Ron well enough to wonder what had changed his mind about a snake.

**

* * *

**

They landed with a soft squelch and a heavy sigh. She had warned him about the mud but that didn't exactly prepare him for the soft and soggy sinking feeling. With a small laugh, Abby led the way up the muddy drive toward the wreckage of the farmhouse and the man who was sifting through the charred remains.

'Hello, Mister Morgan, do you want a hand?'

The man straightened and glanced down the drive toward them. 'Morning, Abby!' he called with a little more cheer than was truly warranted from a man who had just lost his house in a fire. 'Who's your friend?'

'Oh this is Harry, that friend I told you about.'

'Nice to meet you, Harry.' Mr. Morgan removed his glove and extended his hand for Harry to shake.

'You too, sir.'

'You're here about the cave?'

Harry nodded and Morgan motioned for them to follow him, throwing down his work gloves. He led them through a paddock of more mud and the occasional cow paddy. Abby grumbled all the way and aside from one comment about Tilly yelling at him for muddying his clothes, Harry kept his mouth shut.

'When did you first learn about the Wizarding world?' Harry asked, wrenching his foot free of a particularly deep mud puddle.

'I've always known,' Morgan answered. 'My family has owned this land for generations, my father told me and his father told him.'

'What exactly did he tell you?' Harry was curious to learn all about this mysterious muggle family and their cave.

'Well, he used to tell me a story about a great and powerful wizard who was forced to hide from his enemy until his weapon was ready. Father said the wizard found our caves and used them to hide until the time was right. I've been in and out of those caves all my life and I've never seen anything that would suggest a powerful wizard once lived there.'

'I sense a 'but' coming,' Abby murmured to Harry.

'But every year without fail two wizards from the Ministry set up camp at the cave entrance and spend a month doing something. I think its research, I think they know something is there just like my father said but I don't think they can find it.'

'Did your dad ever say what is supposed to be in their?'

'He didn't know, could be his weapon, could be nothing.'

He brought them to the entrance of the cave and offered them one of the old fashioned oil lamps hanging just inside. They declined and instead pulled out their wands and cast _Lumos_.

'Thanks, Mister Morgan.'

'Hope you find what you're looking for.'

They said goodbye to Morgan and started into the cave. True to all caves, it was damp, dark and more than a little smelly. The light of their wands kept reflecting off metal embedded in the walls. On closer inspection the metal turned out to be runes formed out of polished steel stuck to the cave wall, probably with a permanent sticking charm. Harry had no idea what more than half of them meant and he wished he'd brought along a muggle camera so he could show Hermione.

'Must have some sort of muggle repelling charms on the entrance,' Abby observed.

Wandering into a dark cave with a lengthy and violent (if the stories could be believed) history and not knowing what the creepy runes on the cave walls meant was not the brightest or safest thing Harry and Abby could be doing on a Saturday morning.

But since when had Harry Potter done the safe thing?

'Do you really think it's the Ministry that comes here every year?' Abby asked, trailing her fingers over the runes as they walked.

'Doubt it,' Harry replied. 'I got Tonks to ask around, no one at the Ministry has even heard about this place and Ruby couldn't even find any trace of it in the DoM.'

'Death Eaters?'

'Shouldn't think so, from what I gather this has been going on a lot longer than Voldemort and his followers.'

'He knows it's here though.'

Harry gave a slight chuckle. 'I doubt there's much about the magical world that Voldemort doesn't know. Or at least thinks he thinks he knows almost everything.'

'Do you think there's anything here worth finding?'

Harry's foot slid across the suddenly slick floor and Abby reached out to steady him. They lifted their wands above their heads hoping to provide more light to give them some idea of what Harry had slid upon. The rough dirt floor of the cave gave way to smooth stone and the walls were cluttered with the steel runes interspersed with other signs and symbols that Harry didn't recognize. A few feet passed the beginning of the smooth stone floor there was a large oak door.

'That's not something you expect in a cave.'

'Check this out,' Abby called to him. She was crouched in front of the door examining weird scratches in the wood. 'I think this is where the Ministry tried to get in.'

Harry crouched beside her and ran his fingers over the marks. 'Spell damage,' he agreed. 'Looks like they tried everything they could think of.' He touched a scorched portion of the door. 'Blasting hexes, experimental magic. I think one of these is from an ordinary axe.'

'Any ideas?'

Harry continued to search the door while Abby turned her attention to the writing on the walls. He looked at every inch of the door but couldn't find anything that would suggest a way inside. He stood and walked over to Abby to see if she'd had any more luck. She was staring at a spread of three or four languages with her head tilted to the side and her tongue poking between her teeth. Her eyes were squinted.

'What is it?'

'They were written by different people, I think. Each one at a different time.'

Harry stepped closer and squinted at the section she was indicating. 'What makes you say that?'

'The runes are the oldest, probably put here by whoever created this place. Then comes the weird squiggly language done in the red paint and finally the chalk words.'

'This helps us how?'

'I think they all say the same things, like over the years different people have come here and written down their translation of the runes.'

'Again, this helps us how?'

'I once read an article in the _Quibbler_ about mythical languages and I think I recognize some of the chalk words.'

Harry raised his eyebrows. 'You read the _Quibbler_?'

'Don't you?'

'Only the stuff Luna tells me I have to.'

Abby grinned. 'Either way, I think this word means entrance.' She pointed to one of the chalk words that overlapped a red symbol. 'And this one means power and I might be wrong but this one could be lizard.'

An etching on one of the runes caught Harry's attention and he stepped forward to get a better look. He was only vaguely aware of Abby rambling on about how unlikely it was the word actually meant lizard and that she probably was getting it confused with something else. He caught the words reptile, legs and something about stupid old wizards.

'Harry? Harry!'

'Bloody hell! Do you know what this is?'

'No, I thought we'd covered that already.'

Harry rolled his eyes and touched the etching on the edge of the rune. 'It's not lizard, Abs, it is snake. The bloody thing needs parseltongue!'

'Oh!' Abby exclaimed, slapping herself on the forehead. 'That's what this is!' She prodded the chalk. 'My grandma was a muggle archaeologist and she met my grandfather on a dig, he was there researching parseltongue amongst ancient magical cultures. That's why I remember the article in the _Quibbler_; they tell that story every year on their anniversary.'

Harry smiled. 'I can open that door,' he assured her. 'As long as it doesn't need a password of sorts.'

'Have at it, snake boy.'

'I may bury you one day where not even your grandparents can find you.'

'Nah, I know you love me.'

'Very deep down.'

'It's still there.' She patted his cheek and he growled.

'_Open_,' he hissed in the language of snakes.

The effect was immediate. With a soft click the door released and popped open enough for them to grab hold and pull it the rest of the way.

'That was too easy.'

'Way too easy,' Harry agreed.

They exchanged a glance and then, with a shrug, started through the door. The moment they entered the room torches sprang into life along the walls casting strange flickering shadows across an empty room. Moving quickly they darted to the next door and Harry issued the same command. The door sprung open and they stepped forward only to be tossed backward before they had crossed the threshold. They landed heavily near the first door.

'Not so easy this time.'

Harry hauled himself to his feet and approached the door carefully. There was nothing in the immediate vicinity that would suggest any way of getting round the throwing hex on the doorway. Abby started to investigate the rest of the room.

'Maybe I have to speak in parseltongue as we pass through?'

'Worth a try.'

A moment later Abby helped him back to his feet. 'That's a no then.'

'Just a bit, yeah.'

'Any bright ideas?'

Abby shook her head and the two continued to search the room for any sort of clue. The walls were devoid of any type of script and there weren't any objects in the room. Eventually Abby found what they were looking for in a smudge on the wall beside the door.

'Blood,' she concluded. 'It's blood magic.'

'Let's just hope it doesn't need blood from both off us.'

'Why? I'm just as capable as you,' Abby sniped, misunderstanding Harry's words.

'I'm a phoenix, Abs; I doubt my blood will work.'

Abby opened her mouth, gaped soundlessly like a fish for a few moments and then snapped it closed again. Harry shifted uncomfortably.

'I've never mentioned that to you before have I?'

Abby shook her head. 'It explains a lot, though. How old is Martin?'

Harry smiled, she was quick, he'd have to give her that. 'She turned three hundred a few weeks ago.'

'Wicked.'

'I thought so.'

'Does Ron know?' Abby asked to distract herself as Harry took her hand and sliced into her palm with his knife.

'I haven't told him exactly but I doubt he's as in the dark as I think. I'm pretty sure that a room full of Weasley's could solve all of the world's problems.'

Abby smeared the blood across the wall on top of the old smudges and the doorway shimmered briefly.

'Guess that worked.'

Harry nodded and as one they stepped through the door and straight into yet another trap.

**

* * *

**

In Hogsmeade, Ally Martin fell to her knees clutching her chest and screaming.


	42. Chapter 36

**a/n: **thank you so very much, all of you. i received so may wonderful reviews for my last chapter its overwhelming! i hope you enjoy the chapter, please leave me your thoughts and opinions.

**Chapter 36**

Ally drew her coat tighter around her and struggled down the soggy path. She was really sick of her new waddle, it wasn't half as stealthy as her walk normally was and it was twice as slow. If she didn't have a load of shopping to do she would have stayed in bed and marked those essays she'd been ignoring for the past week. She passed Emmy and her friends standing outside the book store and tried to stalk toward the apothecary. She never got the chance to reach it. A sudden feeling of uneasiness washed over her and she slowed to a stop. Students darted around her, laughing and chatting with friends but she didn't hear any of it. Something was very wrong.

A sudden piercing pain in her chest had her sinking to her knees and crying out. She wasn't aware of the students around her slowing to a frightened stop. She wasn't aware of anything but the scorching pain in her chest. The pain intensified and seemed to move toward her head. She screamed louder but it didn't stop. There was no relief just burning pain.

**

* * *

**

Ron and Daphne stumbled through the door of the Hogshead and out into the cool October air. Ginny had not been happy with them and their leaving was the only thing that had saved them from getting cursed. Still, it had been fun while it lasted.

'What should we-'

A scream split the air and in a move that would have made Harry proud they immediately ran towards it. Wands out, they battled through the crowd of students milling about to find out what was going on. Ron shoved a third year aside and met Steven and Jesse fighting their way through the students beside him. They emerged from the cluster of students to find Martin on her knees on the ground clutching her chest in the middle of a ring of confused students. Snape burst through the ring just as the rest of the ADADA did. Ron took charge before Snape even got the chance to ask what was going on.

'Make a perimeter!' he ordered the ADADA members. 'Get everyone out of here!'

The ADADA members formed an expanding circle inside that created by the students. Pulling out their wands they forced all of the watching students back. Snape scowled at Ron but moved to crouch beside Martin. He was thrown backward when she threw her head back and burst into flames.

'Bugger!' Ron swore.

Snape whipped out his wand, probably to cast some sort of water charm but Daphne stilled his arm.

'It won't work, sir, not that kind of fire.'

Ron rushed forward and knelt on the ground in front of Martin, he hesitated for a moment before reaching out and gripping her face in his hands. He cried out as the flames burned his hands but tried not to focus on it.

'Ally!' he shouted at her. 'Ally!'

She didn't appear to hear him and his sleeves were already burning. He turned to Daphne, who stood restraining Snape, all the while wincing at the feel and smell of his own flesh slowly roasting.

'Where is he?'

'The cave in Wales,' she told him. 'He and Abby left this morning.'

Daphne tightened her grip on Snape's arm. Ron turned back to Martin and with huge reluctance, not because it would particularly hurt her but because of the damage it would do him, he slapped her. She didn't look at him but she did whimper out a string of words.

'Dark…mark…send…Snape…'

Ron flew back from Ally and Daphne hurried to meet him, wand out and healing spells tumbling from her lips. Ron's hands and arm were a mess of charred and blackened skin. He had tears in his eyes but he ignored them, he was almost beyond pain. He even went so far as to force Snape back when he rushed forward, mouth spilling insults, as he tried his own healing spells.

'Go,' Ron told Daphne urgently. 'Take Snape to the cave and help Harry!'

'What is the meaning of this?' Snape demanded, his fury only increasing when he was once again ignored.

Daphne whipped around and addressed the ADADA members. 'Steven, take Martin to the Hospital wing and put in a call to Ruby. Luna, Jesse, distract the professors. Susan, put in a call to the Ministry and somebody get the Weasleys!'

Orders given she snatched up Snape's arm and disappeared, tugging him along with her. His mouth formed a protest that they couldn't hear as he vanished with a sharp pop. Mere moments after they left Ron's hard won control snapped and he fell to his knees before crumpling face first to the ground. With Snape gone it was easier for the ADADA members to do what they needed to do. Steven ran toward the castle with Ally floating along in front of him under the control of a hovering charm. Emmy darted back through the streets searching for Ginny; she knew the twins were in London scouting out spaces for their joke shop so there was just one Weasley she could get to Ron's bed side.

Luna, Jesse and Susan sprinted toward the castle ahead of Steven; there was an urgency to their actions that had students leaping out of their path. They were even more eager to move when Steven came into view directing the burning form of their DADA professor. Ron was left in the care of the third year Slytherin girl who was slowly becoming a member of the defense group. She only knew the most basic of healing spells that Martin had taught to all of her DADA students and just one extra that she had taught the ADADA. None of them could do much for Ron.

'Ron!'

Stephanie's head whipped around, her wand not far behind her, and looked toward the sound of Ron's name. Sprinting toward them through the village was Ginny with Hermione fast on her heels. Stephanie lowered her wand and stepped back to give Ginny room. She fell to her knees and quickly evaluated his wounds.

'Help me get him to the hospital wing!'

'What happened?' Hermione cried. 'How did this happen?'

'Not now, Hermione,' Ginny snapped, shoving her out of the way. 'Emmy, we need a stretcher.'

Emmy conjured a stretcher and the four girls gently rolled Ron onto it. Once he was settled Ginny led the way back to the castle while Emmy directed Ron to float along beside them. In order to keep him as comfortable as possible they walked as slowly as they dared. Hermione walked alongside the stretcher constantly reaching to touch him and then stopping when she realized it would only hurt him. She swiped at the tears streaming down her cheeks and glared at Ginny who didn't appear to be affected at all by her brother's injuries. Rather, she was snapping out questions left and right that had nothing, if very little, to do with Ron.

'Do we know what happened?' she asked of Stephanie.

Stephanie shook her head. 'She was already down when we arrived; Ron took control while Daphne fended off Snape.'

'Where is everyone now?'

'Daphne and Snape went to help, Steven took Martin to the hospital wing and the others are doing what they can to distract people.'

'Did anyone get a message to Fred and George?'

'They're out of range,' Stephanie responded dryly.

Ginny nodded.

'I'll go,' Emmy offered.

Ginny took over the spell to guide Ron and Emmy disapparated. Hermione gasped and started telling Ginny off for allowing Emmy to leave the school while also scolding Emmy when she wasn't even there. Just outside the school gates, Ginny had enough. She whipped around and glared at Hermione who had started to demand where Daphne had run off to when Ron was lying injured on a stretcher.

'Daphne is dealing with the reason Ron is like this,' Ginny snapped. 'She'd be here if she could.'

Ginny didn't wait for a response before turning and stalking up the drive. It was a little harsh as she knew that Hermione was just extremely worried for her friend but she couldn't help wondering if this would come up later in an argument about Daphne.

They were met half way by a frantic Madam Pomfrey who started dishing out healing spells on the move.

'He touched Professor Martin?' Pomfrey queried.

'Slapped her too,' Stephanie nodded.

Madam Pomfrey tutted and hurried them upstairs. Once in the hospital wing she quickly and efficiently transferred Ron to one of the beds and hurried off to retrieve every potion she had in stock that was designed to heal burns. Ginny smoothed Ron's hair back from his sticky forehead and turned to address Stephanie.

'Meet everyone in the ADADA room as they come back and tell me if you get any news.'

The Slytherin nodded quickly and offered Ginny's hand a tight squeeze before she sped out of the hospital wing. Ginny then turned her attention to the flaming figure that had so captured Hermione's attention. Hermione stood gaping at the sight of Martin hovering inches above one of the hospital beds every bit of her covered in red hot flames. Steven stood beside her bed maintaining the spell that was keeping her off the bed and stopping her from burning the room down. With one last glance at Ron, Ginny hurried from his side and gave Martin a once over.

'How is she?'

'She's stopped screaming,' Steven answered. 'Ruby's on her way.'

As if speaking her name had brought her, the doors to the hospital wing burst open and Ruby Reid flew inside. Despite the situation Ginny couldn't help but laugh. Ruby was dressed completely in dragon hide. Leather pants, bodice and jacket made up her fireproof attire. She glared sharply at Ginny before tugging on a pair of gloves and heading straight for her friend. She placed one hand against Martin's cheek and the other on her swollen stomach. Hermione who, despite having her eyes locked on Martin, had remained by Ron's side, watching closely as the sweat beaded on Ruby's forehead.

Madam Pomfrey emerged from her office and stopped at the foot of Martin's bed. 'This has happened before?' she asked of Ruby.

Ruby nodded. 'Once or twice, never this bad.'

'Is the child safe?'

Ruby smile slightly, the child in question moved happily around in her new toasty environment beneath her gloved hand. 'Takes after her parents.'

Madam Pomfrey nodded again, her lips pursed and muttering something about being unable to properly treat her patients if they don't tell her about unique physiology.

'Burns can be treated the same as regular burns?'

This time it was Ginny who answered. 'Yeah, they don't normally burn those who come in contact but this was really bad.'

'Very well. Miss Granger I suggest you go back to your common room, you too Mister Kennedy.'

Steven waited until the bed beneath Martin had been made fire proof—using a spell Ruby had become well acquainted with over the years—before he released his hover charm and left. Hermione looked like she wanted to protest but under the sharp look Madam Pomfrey was giving she gave in and left quietly.

'Ally,' Ruby spoke quietly to her flaming friend. 'Shut off the fireworks, you're making me crispy.'

Ginny giggled nervously, never taking her eyes off her brother as Madam Pomfrey covered his arms and hands in a thick yellow paste that smelled terrible. He woke up with a shout just as she was closing the lid on the jar. She placed a calming hand on Ron's shoulder and pressed him gently back into the bed.

Ron let out a string of colorful curses and flopped back, deciding it was probably a good idea not to attempt to get up.

'Blimey, that hurts.'

'Ya think?'

Ron shot her an annoyed look while Madam Pomfrey performed a quick check to make sure he was otherwise okay. Satisfied with what she was seeing she placed the jar of yellow paste on the table beside his bed and left him instructions to apply twice daily until the jar was empty or the burns had healed. She gave Martin another glance but she was still burning strong.

'When Mister Potter returns have him come see me,' she told Ginny. 'I need to give him a complete physical.'

Ginny nodded, aware that Madam Pomfrey must have been told more than anyone realized when Martin had first begun teaching. Though it likely had more to do with the baby than any real trust of Madam Pomfrey.

'They're Phoenix, aren't they?'

Ginny spun around and gaped at her brother. He smirked slightly, wincing from the pain in his arms.

'How did you? How?'

'A couple of things he said. I'm right, aren't I? That's why she's burning, Harry's in trouble and she's feeling it.'

Ginny grinned. 'Way smarter than we give you credit for.'

Ron grinned and then they all jumped when Martin stopped screaming and shouted out Harry's name. They turned to see Ruby jumping back with a hand on her heart and Martin sitting up on the bed, breathing heavily but no longer burning.

'That was new.'

**

* * *

**

The moment they snapped back into existence Snape wrenched his arm free of Daphne's grip and pulled his wand on her. She wasn't having any of it, she was off and running before Snape knew it.

'What have you done?' he demanded running after her.

'Harry and Ally are looking for a possible weapon to help defeat Voldemort,' she shouted over her shoulder. 'They're in trouble!'

Slipping and sliding through the mud, Daphne raced toward the burnt shell of a farmhouse. Snape followed though he couldn't be sure why. They skidded to a stop outside the farmhouse and Daphne shouted for Mr. Morgan. The middle aged owner of the house appeared around the corner and greeted them hesitantly.

'Friends of Harry's!' Daphne panted by way of explanation. 'They're in trouble!'

A boy of about twelve popped around the corner. 'I'll take them, Dad. This way!'

He took off running and Daphne sprinted after him. Snape grumbled something about leaving the stupid boy to die but ran after her anyway. Mud splattered his robes and he hated Daphne even more for the ease with which she ran through the mud. He was sweating and out of breath when they stopped at the entrance to a cave. Daphne thanked the young boy and started into the cave but Snape grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

'No. Explain to me what is going on.'

Daphne sighed and then launched into a much abbreviated version of the story. 'The ADADA has been tracking possible Death Eaters. A few nights ago Abby followed one here, she and Harry came back this morning to investigate. Professor Martin says they triggered a trap, something to do with the Dark Mark. That's why you're here.'

'Professor Martin was a pillar of flame, how could she know this?'

'She knows,' Daphne almost growled. 'Now move!'

She pushed him forward into the cave and they started the trek toward Harry in silence. The first door they reached was ajar and the room beyond was empty. A quick search revealed a smear of blood on the wall beside the door.

'Blood magic,' Snape acknowledged with a grimace.

Much to Snape's surprise, Daphne produced a knife from the back pocket of her muggle jeans and sliced into her palm. She placed her hand against the wall over the previous smudge she knew had to be Abby's and the door swung open. The room ahead of them looked empty and Snape stepped forward taking a good look around. Daphne made to follow him but was stopped by a weakened cry.

'No!'

Snape whipped around to see the origin of the voice and found Abby balanced half way up the wall beside the door. She was crouched on a small lip in the cave wall and there was blood trailing down the side of her face. Daphne stayed where she was and Snape walked over to Abby who started talking immediately.

'We bypassed the original traps but Voldemort's been through and he laid some of his own,' she explained quickly. 'This room originally was charmed to test for certain magical qualities, test out just who was trying to get through. From what I can tell Voldemort changed the test to search for magical qualities he deemed were acceptable.'

'The Dark Mark,' Daphne assumed. 'That's why Snape's okay.'

'What happened?' Snape demanded in a cold voice. He did not like so many people knowing that he possessed the Dark Mark and to have children discussing it like it was a widely acknowledged fact was not sitting well.

'Cruciatus like curse,' Abby answered. 'Constant agonizing pain incapacitates you and then traps you so you can't move forward or backward.'

'How did you get on the wall?'

'Harry. He had just enough time to get off one spell and he used it to get me off the floor.'

'Always so noble,' Snape sneered. 'Where is the stupid boy?'

Abby glared and Snape and pointed upward. Snape followed her finger and gasped in horrified fascination. Daphne leant as far forward as she dared and looked up. Harry was stuck to the roof, mouth moving soundlessly over screams and blood dripping steadily from the corner of his mouth.

'Is that what the trap is supposed to do?'

Abby shook her head. 'It just pinned me to the ceiling. Whatever the original spell was its warring with Voldemort's new one over Harry.'

'And I suppose you've been sitting there the whole time waiting for rescue,' Snape gloated. He was wondering over the idiocy of these two storming into a trap that was set by the Dark Lord himself.

'No,' Abby snapped. 'I used a levitation charm on myself and checked out the next couple of rooms. Next one is a simple spell that judges the worthiness of the person entering, basic state your business. One after you have to surrender all of your weapons, including your wand and the last one after that is a complex riddle in parseltongue that has to be read aloud and answered in parseltongue. That's why I'm back here.' She glared at Snape. 'Can't get into the last room without Harry.'

Despite himself, Snape was almost impressed. It didn't sit well with him at all. He stared up at Harry studying the way the boy focused unseeing eyes down at them. Trying to understand the words his soundless mouth was shaping.

'What's he saying?' Daphne asked, having just realized like Snape Harry wasn't screaming like she first thought.

Abby smiled sheepishly. 'Sorry, silencing charm. Got a bit annoying, he's muttering about three different counter curses, one after the other just to keep things from getting worse.'

'Worse?' Daphne asked. 'It gets worse?'

'What is he doing exactly?'

Abby scrunched up her nose as though trying to remember what words Harry had been using. 'He's stopping the curse from affecting me by limiting it to floor contact, blocking the effects of the curse that's being used on him to the best of his ability and he's keeping himself stuck to the ceiling because when he touches the floor things start exploding. Bit tricky trying to keep one part operating while the other shuts off.'

'Remove the silencing charm,' Snape ordered with a curl of his lip.

Abby waved her wand to cancel the charm and Harry's tired and pain filled voice filled the room.

'You have found no way to remove the curse placed on this room by the Dark Lord?'

He asked the question knowing full well how unlikely it was she would have uncovered such a thing if she were still sitting on the wall.

'Requires the presence of a Dark Mark and a certain pass phrase.'

Snape might have rolled his eyes but no one in the room was quite in a position to see for themselves. He started to explore, going over ever surface to try and find some sort of clue that might offer up the pass phrase and release Harry Potter from the ceiling. He tuned out the conversation Daphne and Abby were having, wondering on the foolishness of children who could have a gossip session whilst under threat of curse in a cave.

The sudden and complete silence was almost as disturbing as a scream might have been. Startled, the occupants of the room looked up and were greeted by the strange sight of Harry Potter perfectly coherent pinned to the roof with his arms crossed behind his head. Into the silence, Harry spoke what turned out to be some of the most irritating words he'd ever spoken. At least to Snape.

'Professor, please don't move you're standing on the answer.'

Snape looked down and saw that the stone he was standing on that had once been simple grey flagstone was now covered in strange green writing. It was not a language he recognized and as far as he could tell he hadn't actually done more than stand on it.

'Well that's sneaky,' Abby announced. 'A safe switch. The only way to shut off the original curse is to step on a stone that can't possibly be reached.' She looked up at Harry with a frown. 'Why aren't you writhing in pain?'

'I think I'm back to confusing the sensors or whatever it is that judges your gifts,' he guessed. 'I don't think it knows whether I'm human or not.'

'Why are you still on the ceiling, then?'

'No idea,' he answered cheerfully. 'Get me down would you?'


	43. Chapter 37

**a/n: **this chapter nearly kicked my ass. very uncooperative. still, here it is and i hope you enjoy it. thanks to all of you who read and reviewed before it highly appreciated.

**Chapter 37**

Harry was down from the ceiling and engaged in a staring (really glaring) contest with a confused and angry Snape. It seemed that Snape hadn't appreciated Harry's humor given the situation and Harry didn't particularly appreciate being told that he couldn't handle the possibly life threatening situation if he still found it a good time to crack jokes.

'It's how we cope,' Daphne explained before her teacher and boyfriends best friend started to argue. 'If we don't laugh then there is sobbing and despair.'

'Definitely sobbing,' Abby agreed.

'Oh Abs, I'm so sorry.' Harry gave her a quick one armed hug, having completely forgotten about the Death Eater she'd been forced to kill. He then turned to Daphne. 'We need to employ some sort of counseling.'

'I'll get on that as soon as we get home.'

'You and I are going to have a talk when we get back to the castle,' Harry informed Snape.

Snape gave a snarl and turned to stomp toward the next room and the next puzzle or trap. The trio of students exchanged glances before following after him. The next room was empty and the door out was open. A quick inspection showed that each original spell only needed to be deactivated once and Abby herself had done that while exploring. Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, they sped through the still open doors until they reached the final one. Like all the others before it, it appeared to be empty but that didn't seem to bother Abby. She pushed passed Snape and tapped a spot on the wall seven times with her wand. The wall beneath her wand seemed to dissolve revealing a small alcove and an old roll of parchment.

'How did you find that?' Harry murmured as Snape reached forward for the parchment.

'Fifteen long minutes scanning every inch of these walls. That one point is slightly worn, like it's been poked a lot over the years.'

Harry nodded, inwardly marveling over her attention to detail. Snape was busy scanning over the riddle which was turning out to be less of a riddle and more of a list of instructions and a very random question. Like Abby had said, Harry had to speak the question aloud and then answer it in parseltongue. The simplicity of the task suggested that it had been created by or at least adjusted by Voldemort and that the answer was actually a lot more difficult than it seemed.

'Right, what does it say?'

'It says "Magic at its deepest, most powerful can be described as one thing and one thing only".'

'I thought you said it was a riddle,' Daphne frowned at Abby.

'I believe it was originally,' Snape supplied. 'It seems the Dark Lord changed it when he came through here.'

Harry rolled his eyes. 'Of course he did.'

'So all we have to do is figure out one word to describe magic?' Abby frowned. 'That could be anything.'

Harry shook his head as did Snape.

'If it were anyone else I'd assume it was love but its Voldemort so it has to be something very complicated but still superficial.'

Snape frowned at Harry and reread the riddle/question several times as though just one more read would give away the answer quickly so they could leave. All of his notions were being turned on their head and it wasn't sitting well with him. He wasn't sure he'd be able to go on thinking of Harry as an arrogant git after this and he hadn't even seen him do all that much. The fact that he had even found this place, that he knew Voldemort and his Death Eaters well enough, was enough to upset Snape's view of the world.

'If he were Dumbledore I'd say that were true,' Snape agreed. 'However, not everyone views the world in such a simple way. It could be anything.'

'Well it can't be magic and it can't be power because they're both mentioned in the question.'

'And we know love is out because Voldemort has never felt it and would never believe it could hold power of its own,' Daphne added.

They stood in silence, each thinking of the possible answer to the question, something that Voldemort would think to be magic at its most powerful. Suddenly Harry clicked his fingers and spoke in the hissing sounds of parseltongue. The door before them glowed green and opened with a hiss of compressed air releasing.

'Air tight,' Harry grinned. 'Bodes well for any papers lying about.'

'What did you say?' Snape questioned, curious despite his better judgment that anything regarding Harry bloody Potter was a waste of his time.

'Knowledge. It's a bloody muggle saying, "knowledge is power". It's about the only thing Dumbledore and Voldemort could probably agree on.'

Harry gave a shrug and led the way into the next room. Torches burst into life along the walls illuminating a large room that looked like a research laboratory. The walls were lined with shelves and the shelves in turn were cluttered with books, scrolls of parchment, potions and vials of potion ingredients. In the centre of the room was a large desk, its surface covered in open scrolls, spilled quills and an open ink bottle. It would have looked as though the owner had merely gotten up and left the room if it weren't for the body slumped in the desk chair.

Harry approached the body with his wand out but it was not needed. Whoever the man was he had been dead a long time, his body shriveled and preserved due to the air tight seal on the door. Harry used his wand to prod the head off the chest to reveal an insignia on the front of the figures robes.

'Department of Mysteries researcher,' Harry realized. 'Dead for at least forty years.'

'And you know this for sure?' Snape snarled, approaching the body to perform a brief examination.

'Unspeakables haven't worn identifying insignia for at least that long. When the war against Grindywald ended they removed all sign of affiliation so as best to work around people like Voldemort.'

Snape glanced at him in surprise. 'What other useless information do you have stored in that brain, Potter?'

'Oh, this and that,' he replied airily, moving away from the body to inspect the papers spread out on the desk. 'Daphne, Abby, check for curses, jinxes, anything that might be protecting these papers. We take everything we can.'

'What are you going to do?'

'I'm going to see if we can get out of here the easy way.'

With a quick wink at Abby Harry disappeared in a burst of flames. Snape whipped around in alarm at the sound and he barely managed to stop his jaw from dropping. Harry Potter was fast becoming the most curious thing in Snape's life and it was creating a very frustrating twitch in his left eye.

'Where did he go?' he demanded, although what he really wanted to ask was more along the lines of how he had gone.

'To check if he can take us straight home from here or if we have to back track through these tunnels.'

Moments later Harry appeared right where he'd left from with a smug grin on his face. 'Piece of cake. Apparation wards all over the place but nothing can hold against me.'

'No wards or anything on the books,' Daphne reported. 'Seems whoever created this place thought you'd proved yourself if you got this far.'

'Any idea what any of this stuff is?'

Daphne shook her head and Harry turned to Abby. 'What about you, reader of the _Quibbler_?'

'Half of its parseltongue, the other half is something I've never seen before.'

'It's an old form of Celtic,' Snape responded. 'Written in a rare form of the runic alphabet and in the pattern of some sort of code.'

'What are the chances you can read it?'

Snape gave Harry a cold glare that told Harry just what he thought of that question.

'Right then. Hermione?'

'Hermione,' the girls agreed.

They all started to conjure boxes to pack the books and papers into. It took them an hour to pack using magic and soon they were ready to leave. The only problem being how to get it back to Hogwarts and where to store it when they did.

'Think we can get a house elf in here?'

'It is possible,' Snape replied. 'They have a way around most human magic.'

Harry nodded. 'Pip! Tilly! Kip!'

Three sharp cracks announced the arrival of Ally's house elves, proving Snape's theory to be true and providing a much easier way to transport all of the boxes.

'Master Harry called?'

Harry crouched down so he was eye level with all three elves and smiled in greeting.

'Has Hermione finished work in the library yet?'

Pip nodded. 'She is done.'

'Excellent, can you transfer these boxes to the library and create a separate room within to store them.'

'We is doing it, Master Harry.'

'And could you please ward the room?'

'Yep!'

The elves snapped their fingers and the boxes disappeared with them, three sharp cracks whipping the air. Harry took a hold of Daphne and Abby and then held out his elbow out to Snape. The potions master gave him a sneer but grasped the proffered elbow. Harry made as though to move and then seemed to think better of it.

'You're not carrying anything heat sensitive or flammable are you?'

'I am not.'

'Good. Wouldn't want to explode.'

'We could explode?' Abby said in alarm.

'I don't know, Abby, who knows what kind of potions a potions master carries.'

'Fair-' they vanished in a pillar of flames and reappeared in the ADADA room '-point. Huh, no explosion.'

Snape ripped his hand from Harry's elbow and stepped back in alarm. He took in the room around him and the few students seated along the walls doing various things. The entire back wall of the old classroom was covered in maps. One map was a detailed plan of Hogwarts and its grounds, another of Hogsmeade and a third, a large and detailed map of Britain. Each map had a number of multi-colored pins stuck in them; a system that obviously meant something to whomever had designed the map.

'What is this?' Snape spat, eyes dancing over one of his third year Slytherins sprawled on a couch doing her homework and using a seventh year Hufflepuff as a foot rest while he read over one of her essays. Across the room Luna Lovegood was playing Exploding Snap with Susan Bones and a sixth year Ravenclaw Snape didn't particularly dislike because she actually paid attention in his classes. They all looked completely at home in this room.

'Welcome to the ADADA room,' Harry said brightly before frowning quickly. 'Where's Ally?'

'Hospital Wing,' Steven answered from the couch. 'She's okay,' he hurried to assure Harry when he saw Harry's eyes widen. 'Whatever you were doing turned her into a pillar of flames.'

'Ron got burnt,' Daphne added. 'He's okay, right?'

Emmy nodded and Daphne darted out of the room, no doubt heading straight for the Hospital Wing to visit Ron. Harry checked his wrist, realized he wasn't wearing a watch and then got the time off Abby. They still had a couple of hours before dinner; hours he would rather be spending with Ally in the hospital wing but would definitely be spent with Snape instead. He looked longingly at the door before turning back to Snape. Emmy took pity on him.

'Ruby's with her but I'll go and check how's she's doing.'

'Thank you.' Then Harry switched into the role of leader of the ADADA and started giving out orders. 'Abby find Hermione and take her into the library to get her familiar with the cave stuff and put her on the right path.'

Abby nodded. 'Anything you don't want her to know?'

Harry shook his head. 'Just leave out the part where we were tortured a little.'

'Can do.'

Abby left the room giving Snape a wide berth; he was looking like he was about to combust or start dishing out detentions because he could.

'Luna, Dumbledore has a meeting with the governors in half an hour and Ron's a little busy.'

Luna nodded in understanding and slipped quietly out of the room. Susan gathered up the remaining cards and a folder of papers and followed after Luna with a smile. She didn't want to be there when Harry dropped the bomb on Snape. There was a slight chance things might explode.

'What have you done?' Snape demanded.

Harry sighed heavily and directed Snape through one of the doors and into the twins' lab. He took a seat on one of the benches, first checking to make sure there weren't any potions spilled on it. Snape stood opposite him and glared.

'Something happened over the summer that changed everything,' Harry began. 'The first day I got back to the Dursley's there was someone in my room.'

For a fraction of a second Snape looked alarmed that someone had gotten through the wards.

'It was Ally Martin.'

Snape narrowed his eyes. 'You fathered her child.'

It wasn't a question and Harry had trouble meeting Snape's eyes. Whether he realized it or not Snape was the first true adult Harry had told about the baby. Everyone else had gotten to know Ally first before finding out or had guessed on their own. Not to mention that most of those who knew were still just children really. For one horrifying moment Harry felt like he was suddenly seeking Snape's approval. It was a horrible thought; he hadn't realized he thought enough of Snape for that to ever happen.

'I did. She's the reason I am the way I am,' Harry admitted. 'She saw how bad things were after Voldemort's return and Cedric's death and she did everything she could to get me out of it.'

Snape breathed deeply and prepared to listen. He had no doubt he was about to learn everything the Order had wanted to know since Harry had turned up at Grimmauld Place over the summer. Not to mention everything Voldemort didn't realize he needed to know. If he played it right Harry would give him everything Dumbledore was searching so desperately to find out.

'Potter, you will explain what you have done and maybe then we can fix this mess you have no doubt made.'

Harry rolled his eyes. 'Sir, I understand that my past performance pretty much anywhere in your presence doesn't exactly instill confidence but I think once you've heard what we've done, what I've done to get to this point, you'll understand that I'm not that arrogant boy anymore.'

Snape was truly at a loss for words. With that one admittedly long rambly sentence Harry had just earned Snape's respect and begun the steps to earning his trust. If it was an uncomfortable feeling for Harry it was nothing compared to how Snape felt. Harry was treating him with respect, honesty and maturity. He now understood how everyone had felt when Harry first appeared at Headquarters.

'You wish me to keep this between us?'

'Yes. I know how hard Dumbledore is working with the Order but I also know that if he continues the way he has that Voldemort will win. He expects me to defeat Voldemort one day but refuses to give me the skills to do it.'

'Professor Martin did.'

'Yeah, I just need to know that if I tell you what happened, even if you don't agree, that you'll keep it to yourself.'

Snape weighed up the arguments for and against keeping Harry's secrets but in the end all it took was a quick glance at Harry's eyes. Lily. He would do this for Lily.

'Tell me.'

So he did. He told Snape the truth about his summer, how Ally had made herself at home in his room until finally he'd given in and done what she wanted. He told Snape in far greater detail than he had anyone else about the training Ally put him through during those two years in the trunk. He also hesitantly explained his connection to Ally and what had made her look for him in the first place. At that point Snape made a startled choking noise in the back of his throat but he allowed Harry to continue without interrupting.

'And then we created the ADADA as a way of preparing the students for whatever Voldemort will send their way.'

A heavy silence descended over them after Harry had finished and he shifted uncomfortably waiting for Snape to give him some sort of response. Part of him feared Snape would immediately go back on his word and run to tell Dumbledore, another worried what would happen if Snape agreed with the things Harry was doing. Still when Snape did speak it was not something Harry ever thought he would hear the man say.

'Your mother would be proud of you.'

'Huh?'

'Your mother and I were once very good friends,' Snape explained slowly. 'I believe she would be very proud of the choices you have made.'

Taken aback by his sincerity it was a few moments before Harry could find the words to actually say anything in response.

'I've killed people.'

'She did too,' Snape admitted. 'And your father. Sirius. Remus. They all killed when they had to, when there was no other choice. There's a war coming, Potter and I think that you are one of the few, young though you are, that understands what that means.'

'Thank you,' said Harry sincerely.

'For what?'

'For not telling me I can't do this.'

'You'd do it anyway.'

Harry gave a wry smile. 'Yeah, I would.'

It was only later, lying in bed next to Ally (she was drooling on his pillow) that it occurred to him that he and Snape had been almost friendly. He gave an involuntary shudder and tried not to think too much about it.


	44. Chapter 38

**a/n: **wow this is late for me. sorry! i meant to have it up on wednesday but then i got a little sidetracked and then there were internet problems and now the stupid wireless is weak as and i'm stuck in my room where its strongest. lol. anyway this one is nice and long to make up for the delay. if all goes well and i don't have to do too much cleaning on the weekend then the next chap should be up wednesday. please let me know what you think as your thoughts (no matter how random) are always welcome. now, on with the story! oh1 and thank you thank you thank you for all of the amazing reviews!! (double seemed appropriate there)

**Chapter 38**

Breakfast on Sunday morning was a challenge and that was putting it kindly. Harry arrived early having been woken at an ungodly hour by a swift kick to the ribs from his daughter. She'd gotten surprisingly good at causing both him and Ally pain without having been born yet. Amazing what one could do with a burning hot foot on someone's insides. Unable to get back to sleep, he'd grudgingly gotten up and come down to breakfast while Ally soaked away a few hours in a nice hot bath. It was a pity that Hermione had also decided to make Sunday an early day. There were just some tones that should be avoided at all costs on weekends.

'Harry!'

Harry winced, allowing his head to hit the table with a sharp thud. It hurt but it was better than facing Hermione just that bit sooner. He hadn't gotten the whole story from the twins but he didn't really need to hear the story to know that the Hospital Wing was a bad place to be last night. He took a deep breath when he felt her sit beside him and raised his head, forcing a smile.

'Good morning, Hermione.'

'If you say so.'

Harry very nearly growled in frustration, he had enough troubles without being put in the middle of a love triangle he wasn't all that invested in. Of course as long as Hermione's attention was focused on how unsuitable (apparently) Daphne was for Ron then she wasn't about to focus on the fact that he'd been missing all of yesterday before showing up with a bunch of old papers and things from a Welsh cave. Better, definitely, to sit through love woes.

And he was so going to regret this.

'What's wrong Hermione; didn't you have a nice time in Hogsmeade?'

Hermione gave a strangled noise low in her throat in response and Harry stuffed a whole piece of bacon in his mouth to stop himself from making a comment that may have been considered snide or sarcastic.

'Ginny told you what happened to Ron?'

'Daphne did actually but then I talked to Martin and she said she was really sorry. He should be fine.'

Hermione stared at him incredulously. Harry had the feeling that something he said was about to get him in trouble.

'Fine? He should be fine?'

Higher pitch. Definitely something to worry about. Harry sighed and put his fork down. So much for breakfast.

'Hermione, I'd love to say that this is something I'm only going to say once but I'd be lying to myself. Ron likes Daphne. Daphne likes Ron. You had your chance and you blew it by constantly treating him as though he wasn't good enough. I love you Hermione but I'm not going to let you ruin something that Ron has just because you want him for yourself.'

Hermione turned away. 'You're about the third person to tell me that.'

'Then maybe you should listen.'

'I don't know that I can,' she admitted quietly. 'Every time I think I'm beginning to move on from it something happens and it all comes back.'

'What happened this time?'

'Ron got barbequed and Daphne wasn't around to be with him when she should have been.'

Somehow he should have known that no matter how he tried to distract her, Hermione would somehow find a way to bring it back to a secret of his.

'Hermione, I know this doesn't really explain much but I know that Daphne wanted to be with Ron she just couldn't.'

'What was she doing that was more important than making sure Ron was alright?'

Harry wondered if her priorities really were that skewered or if she was still just upset and it was making her see the world on the wrong angle. He really hoped it was the latter and that if she had of known all the facts she would have understood the need for Daphne to leave Ron in a third year Slytherin's hands. Ron so owed him for what he was about to do.

'Look, Daphne was with me yesterday. Abby and I got into some trouble and she and Snape had to come and rescue us.'

Hermione's eyes widened and then narrowed. 'What were you doing?'

Harry shrugged and turned back to his breakfast. 'So how about that evil Daphne,' he joked in an attempt to change the subject.

It didn't work of course, Hermione might have been a little tangled in her love life but she wasn't tangled enough to forget she was suspicious of Harry.

'Harry Potter what have you done?'

'Why do I have to have done something?' he demanded. 'Why couldn't I have spent the day practicing my potions and accidentally blown up the potions classroom?'

Hermione raised an eyebrow. 'Did you?'

'Well no, but do you have to be so suspicious?'

Hermione laughed a little but it wasn't a full laugh, it was one that spoke of hidden secrets and the pain of being left out. 'I'm worried about you. You've changed so much, so quickly and I'm worried that you're going to implode if you're not careful.'

Harry grinned. 'I'm not going to implode. I'm happy and I'd like you to be happy that I'm happy.'

Hermione smiled slightly, this time it was a genuine one. 'I'll try to be happy you're happy, Harry.'

'Thank you.'

They ate in silence for a few minutes until Hermione started to almost vibrate beside him. A quick glance to his left showed that she wasn't about to explode from repressed anger but had in fact only just remembered something that had her doing a one eighty from glum and moody to bouncy and excited. Harry had to laugh and took the opportunity to start the morning over.

'Good morning, Hermione, something on your mind?'

'I can't believe I almost forgot! Those papers Abby showed me yesterday are incredible. Do you have any idea what they are? What language they're written in? I did a quick test to check their age and some of them are almost eight hundred years old.'

'Snape thinks they're some sort of Celtic rune alphabet or something. He also thinks they are written in code.'

'That's not a lot to go on,' Hermione pondered, it was obvious how excited she was by the prospect of a good challenge.

'I'd try cross referencing with parseltongue. Abby recognized a few of the words written on the cave walls.'

'Abby reads parseltongue?'

'Only what she read from the _Quibbler_.'

Hermione's nose wrinkled at the mention of that particular magazine. She may have learned to handle Luna's unique perspective on the world but she wasn't quite prepared to trust anything her father's magazine printed.

'Apparently they did some special on mythical languages and the written form of parseltongue was included.'

'I didn't know parseltongue had a written form.'

'Neither did I.'

Hermione turned back to her breakfast, face scrunched up in thought. Harry had the chance to savor his and was just digging in to a good pile of scrambled eggs when the twins settled into the seats opposite. Moments later Ginny flung herself down beside Hermione and Luna into the seat beside Harry. As most of the Great Hall was still empty it seemed as though everyone was congregating at the Gryffindor table. He wondered if horrible early morning wake up calls were contagious.

'You're up early,' he observed.

'Peeves,' Luna said by way of answer.

They all nodded, truthfully it was answer enough. Each of them had at least one experience with Peeves early in the morning under their belts. The twins sited business as their reason for being up so early and Ginny had plans to meet up with Stephanie and Susan to do a little training. Within fifteen minutes it seemed the entire ADADA had gotten up early and were eating breakfast at the Gryffindor table. With the exception of Ron anyway, he hadn't been released from the Hospital Wing yet. A stroke of luck had Daphne and Hermione seated at opposite ends of the group and several conversations going in between.

What had begun as a tough and annoying breakfast was turning into one of the best. Jokes were flowing out of the twins mouths at an unchallenged rate, defense tips were being traded back and forth and Emmy was regaling Susan and Luna the tale of her trouble with the magical Turkish coin. Harry took a break from choking on his breakfast after one of Fred's troll jokes to take a sip of his pumpkin juice. It was then that he noticed Hermione had lost some of her happiness.

'What's wrong?' he asked her in a whisper.

She turned to him with sad eyes and a weak smile. 'Is it always like this?'

He gave her a questioning look, unsure what she meant. She gestured around at all of his friends in answer. He tried to look at it from her perspective. A lot of people laughing and having a good time. Trading inside jokes, talking about things she was unaware of and genuinely having a good time just hanging around. The ADADA had become one of Harry's favorite places; it was something he'd never had growing up. Ever since starting at Hogwarts he had found a home, friends and family. He hadn't realized that for Hermione, Hogwarts was the same thing. Surrounding her with a tight knit group of friends and telling stories he'd gone out of his way to keep from her was hardly fair.

'I'm sorry,' he told her honestly. 'I've been keeping you away from this.'

'It's okay.'

He knew it was a lie, that she was putting on a brave face but he wasn't ready to let her in completely just yet. She still hadn't shown him that she would trust in him over Dumbledore, or at least enough not to run to him and until she did he was going to keep her in the dark. It was only now that he was truly beginning to understand how bad he was making it for Hermione.

'I am sorry,' he said again, even though he knew there was nothing he could do.

The post arrived then and a dozen owls descended on the ADADA depositing all of the mail in a large pile in the middle. Rolling his eyes Harry dove into the pile and began to sort out the mess. Copies of the _Daily Prophet_ were handed out to Hermione, Daphne, Steven and Luna. Luna also got copies of half a dozen other wizarding publications. Letters from home were handed out to everyone, including several from Mrs. Weasley for each of her children and one for Harry. Once Harry had cleared the pile he was left with his own letters from two Weasley's (Molly and Charlie), a letter from Sirius, another from Remus and a box wrapped in brown paper and stamped with the insignia of _Quality Quidditch Supplies_.

He opened the letter from Charlie first as it was one he was expecting and eagerly anticipating.

_Harry,_

_It hasn't reached us yet but it's close. I'll keep an eye out but there isn't much I can do from here. We don't get off the reserve much but I asked around town. Take care of mum. she's bound to get a little nervous. The answer is yes._

_Charlie_

'Charlie's in,' Harry announced to the table at large.

Susan nodded and handed him a sheet of parchment from her own letter from her aunt. He tucked it away in his pocket, not needing to read it straight off. The letter from Remus was a simple one asking how classes were going and how the ADADA was progressing. Sirius' letter was much the same but he added something at the bottom about possibly meeting to discuss an idea he and Tonks had had. He added that one to his pocket and moved on to the one from Mrs. Weasley.

'Am I the only one that received a letter with a rant about Fleur?'

'Nope,' George assured him. 'I think we all got one. What does yours say?'

'Asks how I'm coping, if I'm letting the press get to me and then derails suddenly into asking my opinion of that "French Veela girl".'

Fred nodded. 'Sounds about right.'

They all laughed and piled their letters up to give to Ron to have a good laugh. Harry was just reaching to open his package from the Quidditch store when Hermione's sharp intake of breath and her startled words grabbed his attention.

'My parents think they're being watched!'

That grabbed everyone's attention. It was common knowledge that Hermione's parents were muggles but until then it hadn't seemed like they would be anyone of importance to Voldemort or anyone else for that matter. Harry knew the ADADA didn't have anyone watching her parents and there had been no indication from Dumbledore that he was having the Order watch her parent's house either.

'Have they seen someone?' Ginny asked with concern. 'Do you want us to put someone on the house?'

'Ginny!' Fred hissed sharply just as Hermione exclaimed: 'You could do that?'

'Well not right now,' Ginny admitted. 'What do they say?'

'They think their imagining it but my mother is sure she has seen a man and a woman dressed in cloaks watching the house and their office. She says it started two weeks ago but it's only been the last couple of days that she's really started to think they're being watched. Do you think they're Death Eaters? Do you think Voldemort is trying to get at Harry through his friends and their families?'

Harry considered the possibility for all of two seconds and then in unison the whole of the ADADA answered.

'Yes.'

'Bugger,' Harry added, he'd just had a rather unpleasant thought regarding the Dursley's safety outside of Privet Drive. 'Do they happen to have noticed any particular times they're being watched?'

'Mostly it's at different times but they say that there is always someone there of an evening when they arrive home.'

He ran a hand through his hair tiredly and studied Hermione intently for a moment. He could help, of course he could, it was just that helping would give away one of his biggest secrets and the one that needed the greatest secrecy from Dumbledore. Really there was no choice, when it came down to it, there was no competition. He had to help Hermione even if it gave her cause to go to Dumbledore.

'Alright. Hermione, I'm going to take care of it. Send your parents a reply and tell them to go about their usual business. Their stalkers will be gone by tomorrow.'

'How?' Hermione asked, always suspicious even when deeply concerned for her family.

'Who's free tonight?' he asked of the ADADA members.

The twins shook their heads from side to side in sync, putting forward that they had pulled watch tonight and couldn't do it. A few of the others shook their heads, explaining they had at least four feet of homework to do each.

'I'll do it,' Luna volunteered.

'Me too,' Ginny said.

'Capture if you can, kill them if you can't but try and find out who they are before you leave them for dead.'

Hermione almost shrieked. 'Harry, what are you doing?'

'What has to be done,' he said simply. 'You wanted to know what we do well this is it. If you've got questions or problems go talk to Snape.'

Hermione's eyes widened and Harry realized he might have snapped that last part but he was frustrated. She wanted something done about her parents but she didn't want to hear about what he was doing. And then she did, just not if it had him going against her definition of right and wrong. He couldn't win and it was annoying the hell out of him. At least she had a teacher she could go to now, one that wasn't pregnant and probably, in Hermione's opinion, the instigator of it all. He stood from the table, grabbed his package and stalked away. He didn't wait to see if anyone was following him but when he entered the Great Hall it became apparent that Hermione wasn't quite happy with the way things had gone.

He stormed through the castle, up staircases and through a few choice short cuts. Nothing that would lose Hermione but that would at least force her to run if she didn't want to get lost. He reached Ally's office and left the door open in invitation as he stomped across the office and through the door into her rooms. He huffed a greeting at Snape who was seated on one of the chairs talking in low tones to Ruby and went straight through the bedroom and into the bathroom where Ally was still soaking in a bubble bath. Just before he closed the door again he heard Hermione's startled words to Snape and Ruby.

'You have no idea how weird this feels,' Ally giggled, drawing his attention.

'What feels weird?'

She reached for his hand and tugged it under the water, placing it over her belly and then waited. Soon Harry could feel what almost felt like a drum beat against his hand. It felt like his little girl was lying in their kicking with both feet. He laughed and some of the tension from breakfast faded away.

'What's in the box?'

'No idea, it came in the post.'

'Well open it!'

Rolling his eyes, Harry pulled the card from its envelope stuck to the top of the box.

'It's from the twins and Ron,' Harry said with a frown. 'Why would they be sending me something from the Quidditch shop?'

'Well we won't know until you open it.'

Poking his tongue out at her he tore the wrapping away to reveal a toy Quidditch set complete with toy broomstick, mini quaffle and a mini goal hoop. Harry grinned and held it up so Ally could see. She frowned disapprovingly and he just pouted.

'I think they know,' she said.

'Who cares?' Harry laughed. 'This is brilliant!'

Ally huffed. 'Not until she's three.'

'Spoilsport,' he muttered. 'Oh, Ruby's going to love this!'

He kissed Ally on the top of her head and darted back out into the main room, giddy with excitement. He was half into the room when he remembered Hermione and had to stop mid way into an excited exclamation of Ruby's name and toss the box over his shoulder onto the bed. He coughed instead.

'Real smooth, Harry,' Ruby laughed, her seat giving her the perfect view of Harry's aborted entrance.

'Shut up,' he scolded playfully. 'What's the word?'

Ruby gave him an amused look and then glanced at Snape and Hermione. Hermione looked a little alarmed and confused while Snape looked more disgusted that he was surrounding himself intentionally with Harry and people who associate with him.

'No word,' she answered finally. 'We've had a few attempted break-ins in the DoM but nothing that's gotten very far. Dumbledore's Order is still stationed outside our door. It's ridiculous,' she laughed. 'Where do they think Moody got his eye from? Half the department wears those contacts and there's always someone working late.'

'Oh, I know,' Harry nodded. 'I tried to point it out but no one wanted to listen to me.'

'Well who would? You're crazy!'

Harry smacked her arm. 'Hey! Leave my questionable sanity out of this.'

Ruby laughed and patted him on the back in a consoling manner. 'There haven't been any real new developments.'

'Has _he_ got Death Eaters watching the muggle families of Hogwarts students?' he asked Snape.

'Not that I am aware of, though the Dark Lord has many secrets.'

'Well someone is watching Hermione's parents; can you keep an ear out?'

Snape nodded. 'I have left some papers I think Professor Martin should look at on her desk. I will be in my office if you have any questions.'

Harry nodded, recognizing Snape's attempt at escape for what it was. Unfortunately Hermione darted out after him, no doubt with a million questions she wanted answered. Harry waited just seconds after the door was closed to turn to Ruby and pull her toward the bedroom.

'You'll never guess what the twins and Ron got me!'

* * *

Exploding Snap probably wasn't the best game for Ron to be playing given that he had enough burns already. Still he had to do something and Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let him leave.

'Harry told Hermione a little about the ADADA today,' Daphne told him, dropping a card on top of the pile and ducking as the pile exploded.

'How much is a little?' Ron asked, gingerly brushing himself off. The thick paste on his arms impeded most movement.

'Her parents are being watched,' she explained. 'Ginny and Luna are going to take care of it tonight but he had to give a little of what we do away so that he could tell her it would be taken care of.'

Ron shrugged. 'It was bound to happen eventually. All she has to do is acknowledge that Dumbledore isn't always right and give Harry some assurance that she won't go running to him with all of Harry's secrets and he'll tell her everything she wants to know.'

'I don't really see that happening just yet.'

'I know. She's struggling but she will get there, I just think it's going to take something big to show her what really needs to be done and that Harry is doing what's right.'

They fell into a comfortable silence, slapping cards onto the table and ducking when necessary.

'So what happened in the cave and why did Martin turn into the human torch?'

Daphne recounted the story of the cave adventure and then told him what Harry had speculated had happened to Martin.

'He thinks the spell sort of followed his connection to Martin and because it was secondary she reacted differently. While Harry copped the full force of the pain curse Martin just got a hollowed form. She reacted to the pain by going all pillar of flame and that's when you got barbequed.'

Ron snorted. 'Is everyone saying I got barbequed?'

'Pretty much, yeah.'

They fell into another silence while they finished their game. Daphne won three games to one and jumped off the end of his bed to do a small victory dance just to rub it in. Satisfied she'd rubbed it in enough she crawled up onto the bed beside him with a magazine.

'Are you reading the _Quibbler_?' he asked, sounding highly amused.

'Yep.'

'Why?' he laughed.

'It's proven surprisingly useful.'

Ron kept his skepticism to himself and settled comfortably beside her. He was bored but he didn't want to disturb her, it was sort of nice just lying there with her. Even if his arms did hurt and it was a bit awkward.

'I'm glad you're okay,' she informed him from behind her magazine.

'Me too.'

She shook her head and smacked his leg. He had to ruin a nice moment with sarcasm didn't he?


	45. Chapter 39

**a/n: **i'm giving up on a having a set posting day. as long as i get a chapter up a week i think its all good. thank you to all of my wondefull reviewers, readers and those who took the time to take a gander. i hope you enjoy this somewhat action packed chapter and please feel free to leave me a review.

**Chapter 39**

They were crouched behind a low garden wall two houses down from Hermione's parent's house. They were nowhere near comfortable but they did have a good view of the two people who were definitely watching the house. Whether or not they were Death Eaters was yet to be determined, pretty much the entire wizarding world owned a black cloak, heck it was part of the Hogwarts uniform.

'What do you think?' Ginny asked Luna. She received no reply and turned to follow the girls distracted gaze. She appeared to be staring off into nowhere with her eyes squinted.

'There are two more.'

Far from being skeptical because as far as she could tell there were just the two watchers, Ginny nodded and started looking more intently in the direction Luna was suggesting. It was a painfully slow process but eventually she notice the way one of the tree branches across the road would move against the wind every two minutes without fail. Two people under either invisibility cloaks or concealment charms. Ginny weighed her options. It wasn't dark out just yet but they hadn't seen a muggle in quite some time. A quick glance at her watch and Ginny gathered it was probably dinner time. It was now or never.

'You take the invisible two and I'll get the others.'

Luna nodded, already thinking along the same lines. It was no use getting Ginny to go after them when it had taken Luna far less time to notice their presence.

'We'll capture one of each?' Luna suggested. 'Take out the other two.'

Ginny nodded and faded off into the hedge to their right. Luna waited several minutes before she stepped out from behind the wall and began a slow and easy walk down the street. She could feel eyes on her as she drew level with the silent unseen observers. What she wouldn't give for one of Fred and George's as yet unfinished useful jokes products. Something she could throw into the trees and use as a chaotic shield to take out her watchers. A soft rustle was all the warning she got. She ducked and a spell went straight over her head. Spinning around she fired back several of her own.

Death Eaters, then.

She was out in the open with no cover and two Death Eaters (invisible) firing upon her. It definitely wasn't the ideal place to be. Still, as long as they kept sending off spells it would be easy to pinpoint their locations. Invisible Death Eater number one allowed himself to be easily distracted and Luna managed to summon the invisibly cloak he was under. It may have made him visible but it removed the cloth impeding his speed and ability. He began a ferocious counter attack that drove Luna back across the street and backed her into in a garden fence. Focusing solely on her shields her eyes darted around, desperately searching for an escape.

Seeing little choice, Luna dropped suddenly to the ground and fired off the strongest blasting hex she knew. Taken by surprise at her sudden drop, the Death Eater's attack missed its mark and left him wide open for the briefest of moments. Just enough for Luna's blasting hex to take out his knees and rocket them backwards. His face hit the ground with a satisfying crunch. Aware that another, still invisible, Death Eater was lurking around somewhere Luna hurried forward and snatched up the fallen Death Eaters wand.

She was hit in the back with a stunner.

Ginny was faring a little better, if only because she could see both of her opponents. She'd taken them by surprise by circling behind them. They'd been under the incorrect assumption that their backs were being watched by another pair of Death Eaters. With Luna acting as distraction Ginny had all the time she needed to sneak up behind the male Death Eater and smash him across the back of the head with a powerful bludgeoning hex. He went down without a sound of protest but when he hit the ground he snapped the inevitable twig and his partner whipped around in time to see him fall.

Ginny leapt to the side to avoid a sickly yellow curse and threw up a shield just in time to hold off spell after spell. Whoever these two were and for whatever reason they'd been sent they were obviously two of Voldemort's better servants. For a fleeting and horrible moment Ginny worried she and Luna weren't near good enough to handle this. She was too slow to dodge one spell and a searing pain scorched across her shoulder, ruining her shirt and slicing a deep line into her flesh. She cried out but refused to falter.

They exchanged spell after spell, Ginny twisting this way and that to avoid the double serving of harmful spells she seemed to be getting. Another spell shoved through her shields and ripped across her cheek. A scream tore from her throat and she shouted the worst spell she could think of. The female Death Eater froze, her eyes rolling into her head before she slumped to the ground. It took her by surprise when just moments later the woman was up again. Her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath, Ginny pushed forward forcing the Death Eater to retreat. He stumbled, slightly and Ginny managed to push a stinging hex through her shields. She was on her feet in an instant and Ginny's shield fell under the force of a horrible purple spell she couldn't identify.

Now, the one being forced backward under a storm of spells, Ginny slipped herself. Seeing that maintain her shield was more important than bracing her fall, Ginny hit the ground with a very painful thud. One bruised butt later she was glad to have kept her focus on the shields as a Cruciatus curse bounced back on its owner. She scrambled to her feet while the Death Eater writhed in pain and kicked away her wand. Out of nowhere she was hit from behind by a bludgeoning hex. Twisting as she fell and clutching her now aching ribs Ginny looked up into the twisted smile of yet another Death Eater.

With horror she realized the Death Eater approaching her was probably one of the ones Luna had been attacking. If he was here attacking her then Luna was down, probably injured and possibly dead. Clutching her ribs with one arm she struggled to get to her feet but it was no use. Leaning over her, the Death Eater licked his lips, raised his wand and…collapsed on top of her. Ginny shoved him off and scrambled out from under him. Luna, very much not dead but definitely injured was already moving on from the now dead Death Eater and conjuring ropes to bind the last remaining living one.

'Are you okay?' Luna queried, she was holding her left wrist close to her body.

Ginny rolled over and spat out a mouthful of blood. 'Hospital wing,' she whimpered.

Luna nodded and withdrew a small fluffy owl toy from her pocket. She threw it up in the air and pointed her wand at it. It vanished in a puff of fake feathers and Luna hurried to Ginny's side. Gently she helped the red head to her feet, helping to support her with one hand while trying not to further injure her other.

'I sent a message to Sirius, it won't be long now.'

Ginny nodded her head and spat out another mouthful of blood. Thank Merlin for the twins' weird but useful inventions. Just two minutes later Sirius appeared out of thin air with a quiet pop. He had his wand out and his eyes darted around the landscape in search of any trouble. Assured nothing was going to leap out at him he hurried over to Ginny and Luna.

'What happened?'

'Four Death Eaters were watching Hermione's parents,' Luna explained quickly. Ginny was beginning to sway on her feet. 'One dead over there, two here and one bound just behind us.'

'Take Ginny and go, I'll handle this.'

Luna nodded. It was going to be a long walk back. Leaving Sirius to deal with the Death Eaters, Luna apparated directly into the basement of Honeydukes. She didn't particularly caring if anyone was there. Carefully lowering Ginny onto a crate she used her good hand to open the trap door. Ginny was starting to drift off and Luna had to tap her cheek gently to wake her up. Carefully maneuvering her down into the tunnel, Luna let the trap door fall shut. She propped Ginny up against the wall and reached blindly for the bell that had been secured to the wall. Ringing it twice she allowed herself to fall softly to the floor.

It wouldn't be long before whoever was on watch received the signal from a chain of similar connected bells and sent someone to help. Two rings was injured, three was dead. Luna was glad no one had yet had reason to ring it for the third time. Opposite her Ginny slid slowly down the wall and fell in a heap on the ground.

'It won't be long, Gin,' Luna murmured, the corner of her vision turning fuzzy. 'Not long…'

**

* * *

**

Dumbledore sighed heavily, his gaze turned out the window as he studied the Hogwarts grounds. Somewhere out there Voldemort was buying his time, building up his followers and plotting the downfall of the wizarding world. There was a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach and a tingle running down his spine. Something was happening out there, something that neither Dumbledore nor Voldemort had control over.

For what must have been the twelfth time, Dumbledore read over the letter he had received from Remus. The Death Eaters were afraid of something, something that wasn't Voldemort. There were reports coming in from all over Britain of suspected Death Eaters turning up dead, dozens more of people going missing. The rumors turning up in all of the dingy and not so nice places around the wizarding world spoke of a couple of well trained Aurors taking out Death Eaters all over the United Kingdom. So far, no one had been able to identify them and now it seemed that it wasn't just two people fighting Voldemort's forces but a whole group.

It frightened Dumbledore the ideas and explanations presenting themselves. He couldn't believe some of the ridiculous ideas that seemed plausible. He didn't want to believe. Out there somewhere was a highly trained group of individuals that were doing more for the cause than Dumbledore's Order could. Death Eaters were falling all over the world and if things were to be believed Voldemort was actually worried.

And to make it all worse, his one true ally in Voldemort's ranks had knowledge of the secrets of Harry Potter and he wasn't sharing. He heaved another deep sigh and turned his back on the outside world. His fear for Harry was fast becoming his sole focus and creating an ever growing concern that Voldemort would win this war.

* * *

It wasn't his intention to make a big dramatic entrance and if you asked him he wouldn't exactly describe it that way. He found an empty bench in the grounds near the gate that the upper classmen used to get in out of town and sat up on the back with his feet on the seat. He was staring off into the distance, his senses concentrated on detecting any trace of magic in the air. There wasn't anything he found particularly dramatic about sitting on a bench staring off into nowhere but apparently it was dramatic enough for his cousin and his friends.

The sudden sound of people chatting happily interrupted Harry's study of his surroundings and drew his attention toward the gate. It was very close to curfew so he knew it wouldn't be long before Dudley wandered in with his gang of thugs, bullies and general lackeys. Harry drew a few funny looks as students wandered on by back up to the school but he paid them only the briefest of attention. He was searching the thinning crowd for any signs of his cousin, not someone easily missed given his size, when he heard an unfortunately familiar force.

'Oi, D! Isn't that your cousin Harry?'

Harry's gaze swept in the direction of the voice and saw Piers Polkiss sauntering off the path and in his direction. He was leading a group of large and muscled boys that Harry assumed were friends Dudley had acquired though his years as a bully and his sudden discovery of boxing talent. Dudley, just behind his friend had a frown on his face that didn't exactly do wonders for his features. When he got closer he saw that his cousin was actually worried.

'Well if it isn't Harry Potter,' Piers sneered, swaggering up to stand in front of Harry with a smirk.

Harry looked him up and down and adopted a clearly unimpressed look. He raised his eyebrow as Piers scrutinized his every feature, looking, without a doubt, for anything he could use to tease and torture Harry. Maturity was something Piers clearly had not adopted. He watched as his childhood bully took in the boots, jeans, black t-shirt and the red and gold Gryffindor hoody, Ginny had given him for his birthday. His tidy well fitting clothes and lack of glasses didn't give Piers much to go on and he seemed honestly stumped for a moment.

'Hey, D,' he greeted his cousin, ignoring Piers and his other friends. 'I see the boxing is working.'

Much to Harry's surprise, the continuous exercise and a no doubt specialized diet from his coach had Dudley looking even better than he had over the summer. It wouldn't surprise Harry if he actually fit into the school uniform again. Dudley shifted uneasily under Harry's impressed gaze.

'I kept up your friends suggestions.'

Harry nodded. If there was one thing that would ensure a teenage boy kept his diet going and improved his figure so that he was healthy it would be the prospect of a girlfriend.

'You got a minute?'

Dudley glanced at his watch. 'Uh, not really. Is it important?'

Harry shrugged and pulled something round and metallic from his pocket. It was about the size of a tennis ball. He tossed it to his cousin who caught in and looked at it with a frown.

'My friend Hermione's parents are being watched.'

'Mum and dad?' Dudley questioned almost fearfully.

He recovered quickly, putting on a blank expression when his concern received a few strange looks from his friends. They didn't look particularly happy, especially Piers who looked a little put out that he hadn't gotten the chance to torture Harry.

'They're safe for now,' Harry answered simply. 'Whatever it is that keeps me safe seems to be keeping them safe.'

Raised eyebrows behind Dudley's back suggested his friends had no idea his cousin was so…but they were lacking the right words to describe Harry.

'So what is this?' Dudley raised the metal ball and shook it slightly. It seemed to be hollow.

'Flash Bang…sort of. Same basic concept.' At Dudley's confused look, he elaborated. 'I don't think anyone will come after you but if they do throw that at the ground in front of them and cover your ears and eyes. Anyone looking at it or just generally with their eyes open near it should be knocked out.'

'Cool.' Dudley grinned, exchanging what could have been considered conspiratorial grins with his friends. 'Then what?'

Harry pulled a furry owl toy out of his other pocket and tossed it to his cousin. He raised an eyebrow, daring Dudley's friends to make a comment. It was the kind of dare that suggested any words actually expressed would result in broken bones and bloody puddles that used to be human shaped. Dudley grimaced and held it with a disgusted look on his face.

'I know,' Harry grinned, leaning forward to whisper so the unwelcome guests couldn't hear. 'It'll send me a message if you're in trouble; all you have to do is say the trigger phrase.'

Harry handed him a piece of parchment that had _Ally Potter_ written on it. Dudley nodded and handed the paper back. They fell into an uncomfortable silence, unused to being friendly. Finally Dudley just shrugged and turned to go. He didn't get particularly far as Piers seemed to have finally given up on finding something specific about Harry to taunt him about and went for the old tried and true method.

'How's that school of yours, Potter?' he smirked. 'Become someone's bitch yet?'

Harry grinned but surprisingly Dudley came to his defense. 'He's got a girlfriend,' he informed his friends. And then because that was being a little nicer than he normally would be and bordered on siding with Harry he added defensively, 'She's bloody hot.'

'She is at that,' Harry grinned.

Piers snorted his doubt but wasn't about to give up. 'How'd you get a girl like that, huh?'

Harry took a step forward, getting right up in Piers face. 'I killed people. A lot of people.'

Piers wanted to laugh but the look on Harry's face let him know just how serious he was. He took a quick step back from Harry, flinching suddenly. Dudley groaned.

'Mum said you weren't supposed to tell people!'

This of course just reinforced Harry's words and had all of Dudley's friends taking another step back. That _was_ the idea. Rallied somewhat by his friends sudden fear, Piers retook that step, getting up in Harry's face. He was determined to prove he wasn't afraid of skinny little Harry Potter with the sellotaped glasses and hand-me-down clothes. Even if he wasn't that Harry anymore.

'I don't see it,' he sneered, proving the theory that bullies are all brawn and no brain.

'They didn't see it either,' Harry replied coldly. 'Most of them were dead before they hit the ground.'

Dudley shifted uneasily but was rescued by the school clock chiming eight. 'Leave him,' he ordered Piers. 'Trust me when I say you don't want to fight him.'

Something in his tone must of told his other friends, those who had never met his cousin, just how serious he was because they turned and hurried up to the school with little more than a nervous glance back over their shoulder.

'Maybe I do,' Piers sneered.

One swift kick and two sharp blows and Piers was on the ground with Harry's knee pressed into his chest and a knife at his throat. It wasn't the smartest move by far but it felt nice to get a little of his own back after years and years of being bullied as a child. Piers' eyes were wide with fear and he kept switching between pleading with Harry to let him up and pleading with Dudley to help. Dudley took a large step back and held up his hands indicating he had warned him and now he wasn't going to interfere.

Harry glared down at him, gaining an incredible amount of satisfaction from the sweat pouring down Piers' face. Then he grinned and smacked him lightly on the cheek with the flat of his knife before moving off him and letting him scramble to his feet.

'Go.'

Piers didn't need telling twice, well not anymore at least. Once he was gone, Dudley glared at Harry. Harry glared right back. Then without a word Dudley turned and began the walk back up to Smeltings.

'Stay safe, Diddydums!'

Dudley flipped him off and all was right with the world.


	46. Chapter 40

**a/n: **wow, i'm terribly sorry for the huge delay in my updates, i had a big case of writers block. hopefully this chapter will make up for it though you should be warned its a very busy chapter. a huge thanks to ditzydizzydessy101 who left me an awesome review that got the ball rolling again. so a belated happy new year and please enjoy and leave me a review with you thoughts.

**Chapter 40**

The doors to the Great Hall were open and welcoming but that didn't damper the effect of Harry's entrance. He stalked into the room leaving a fiery trail behind him and forcing students to dive out of his way. He was quite literally fuming. He ignored Hermione as she attempted to flag him down and moved with a determination that, aimed at Voldemort and his Death Eaters, could be quite terrifying. He paused in front of the staff table and eyed Dumbledore up and down. Then in a surprisingly dismissive gesture he turned away and approached Snape.

'Azkaban,' Harry growled. 'He hit it five minutes ago.'

Snape's eyes widened just enough that nobody but the most observant would notice. He nodded once and left the table at as close to a jog as possible without looking like he was in a hurry to be anywhere. Harry walked back along the table and regarded Dumbledore with a disappointed and almost pitying look.

'You're running out of options, old man.'

'I fear you have lost me,' Dumbledore replied as gently as it was possible given he'd just been insulted.

'Azkaban has been lost.'

The teachers seated either side of the headmaster gasped, McGonagall's lips thinned while Sprout clasped a hand to her heart. Dumbledore's eyes widened but he showed no other sign of being affected by the news. He made to rise.

'I will inform the Ministry.'

'Don't bother,' Harry told him quietly. Coldly. 'It's been done.'

Harry turned away from the table, missing entirely the way Dumbledore leaned forward as though to place a restraining hand on his shoulder. Right then, having been witness to the horrors that took place mere minutes ago at the wizard prison, anything Dumbledore could have said would be lost on Harry. He paused briefly with his back to the staff in order to address the students in the Great Hall.

'Your posts,' he barked to the room at large, though his words were directed at a small few. 'NOW.' Then he swept out of the hall leaving behind a black charred mark on the stone floor where he had been standing.

The eleven members of the ADADA leapt into action, standing from their tables and gathering their things with well practiced speed. A few snatched up food from the table before darting out of the Great Hall. The rest of the students watched slack jawed, as one or two students from each house scurried out of the hall after Harry. Hermione, much like Dumbledore, continued looking at the entrance of the Great Hall with a frown and deep concern.

Both were concerned with the changes in Harry and feared for his state of mind. However while Dumbledore fretted and planned of ways he could once more gain Harry's favor and perhaps save him from the dark path he was no doubt wandering toward, Hermione rose from her seat and followed after the others at a more sedate pace.

She didn't know what had happened to make Harry so angry and frantic but she wasn't going to sit back and let him face it alone. No, while the ADADA did whatever it was they did that kept people like her parents safe, Hermione headed toward the Martin library. She would use her time finding ways to help Harry on his path. She saw it a little clearer now and was damned if she was going to sit back and not help.

**

* * *

**

Third year Slytherin Stephanie darted down the corridors at a run, dodging the occasional student and glaring at Mrs. Norris as she dove behind a tapestry concealing a much needed short cut. She burst out the other end of the corridor near the statue of the humped witch that concealed the passageway to Honeydukes. She went through the motions of placing wards either end of the corridor and alarms that would warn if someone approached. She activated the alarm system in the tunnel and booby trapped the short cut with one of the twins more practical and devious inventions. Any ADADA member coming would know what to expect and how to get around the traps.

Satisfied, she concealed herself with several charms and settled into the alcove one of the Marauders had long ago made. Situated just down the way from the statue, it enabled one to sit and observe without fear of being seen. Now she had to wait for the first of the ADADA to come and go to whatever crisis Voldemort had instigated. She would get the news before they darted down into the passage.

**

* * *

**

Susan appeared without warning and without a sound just outside her aunt's office in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement almost giving her aunt's assistant a heart attack. She looked around hurriedly, noting that other than the assistant no one had seen her appear.

'Is my aunt in?'

The assistant answered with a hand clutched to her heart. 'Madam Bones is incredibly busy Miss Bones; perhaps you should come back later.'

'I'm here because of the breakout.'

For a moment it looked like she was going to be asked how she knew about an attack that hadn't even reached the public yet but then the assistant seemed to think better. She'd been the assistant to the Head for long enough to know when it was important to let someone through. Still that didn't stop her from hurrying ahead of Susan to open the door and announce her presence.

Madam Bones, head of Magical Law Enforcement was seated behind her desk in the middle of a frenzied conversation with three senior Aurors and a scary looking witch from the Department of Magical Creatures who was supposed to be in charge of the Dementors of Azkaban. Her aunt looked up when her assistant announced her presence and sighed heavily, almost in relief.

'Susan, come in and close the door.'

Susan did just that and then took a seat in the chair one of the Aurors—Moody—conjured for her. He was eying her with both his magical and normal eye and it was giving her the heebies. She did her best to ignore it and instead gave him a polite smile and thank you.

'Do you have news?' her aunt asked, startling two of the Aurors and drawing a calculating look from Moody. 'You may leave, Keller.'

The witch from the DoMC gave a stiff nod and hurried from the room, her chair vanished moments after the door snapped shut behind her.

'What you are about to hear will not leave this office or you will be put on charges of treason and sentenced to Azkaban.'

If any of the Aurors thought she was kidding one good look at her stern expression said clearly otherwise. She gave a nod for Susan to begin.

'We have people searching for the escaped Death Eaters and a few handling the Dementors and security at Azkaban.'

Her aunt nodded and Moody's eyes narrowed further.

'Is Black involved at Azkaban or is he tracking his cousin?'

'He's at Azkaban aiding Nymphadora Tonks and Ruby Reid with the security.'

'I'll have any of my people who cannot be trusted to think before they act removed.'

'I'm sure he'd appreciate that, when I left they had already sealed up several breaches in the wards.'

Madam Bones nodded thoughtfully. 'I suppose Potter is tracking the Lestranges then?'

Susan nodded. 'He thought it best he send his strongest after Voldemort's strongest supporters.'

'Anything else I need to know?'

As if in answer to her question Susan's watch chimed three times and flashed purple before flashing black twice. Susan nodded first at her watch in satisfaction and then at her aunt.

'The Carrow siblings are dead. You can expect their bodies within the hour.'

And really what can you say to something like that when it's said in a matter of fact tone by a fifteen year old girl who really shouldn't know anything about it? Stunned silence fell over the three Aurors only to be broken when the office door burst open and the assistant hurried in dropping a stack of reports and request forms on Madam Bones' desk before hurrying out.

'I will have them set up a room for the bodies. Has anyone else been killed?'

As ordered Susan finally divulged the information the entire ADADA had been holding onto for a while. 'Narcissa Malfoy is dead. We fed her body to the Acromantula in the Forbidden Forest.'

Madam Bones' eyes widened and her monocle fell onto her chest, dangling from its chain.

'I see,' she said finally. 'Tonks was leading that case, was she not?'

Susan nodded. 'She's got all of the information we had on Narcissa but she was holding onto it until a better time.'

'Until Lucius covered it up, no doubt,' Moody snarled. 'There're rumors already that she's home ill.'

'Even Draco is unaware she is dead.'

'We'll keep it that way for now.' Madam Bones studied the four people before her, paying close attention to the changes her niece had undergone. 'Moody, please escort Susan down to the medical chamber, I'll have a medic meet you down there.'

Tilting his head in acknowledgment, he rose and placed a hand at Susan's back to guide her out of the room and down the necessary hallways.

'I don't know what game you're playing little girl but I want in.'

**

* * *

**

Not all of the Death Eaters were easy to track. Some didn't have obvious patterns to track, family or friends to hunt down. This lack of any tangible leads was the reason Emmy and Abby were crouched on the roof of a muggle chip shop trying desperately to follow the faded trail of Augustus Rookwood. Of all of the Death Eaters to escape Azkaban, Rookwood posed the most immediate threat given his inside knowledge of the Ministry, especially that of the Department of Mysteries.

They'd followed his distinct magical signature from his cell at Azkaban through various towns and cities across Britain and were just waiting to catch sight of him before he darted off again. He was good, he knew what he was doing and was obviously trying to make it very hard for any Aurors to find him. His only problem was that he hadn't noticed the small pin Abby had paid a muggle to stick to his robes. Wherever he went, the little innocuous pin left a blob of magic strong enough for Abby and Emmy to track.

Just one more of the twins' fantastic inventions. All they'd needed to keep track of the powerful Death Eater was enough of a trace to follow and catch up to him from Azkaban, pay off a muggle to bump into the wizard and bingo. One easily tracked, hard to notice magical object projecting his current location. Pure genius.

'He's moving,' Abby hissed, already moving toward the next building.

Emmy quickly followed and the two were just in time to watch a figure dressed in a smart muggle suit slip into an alley and disapparate. They counted to ten before following, appearing quietly in a grave yard. A quick glance around gave no indication as to where they were but they could see Rookwood stalking through the graves toward the lights of a town. Rookwood led them into town and then all the way out the other side where he paused, glanced quickly left and right and then slipped forward, disappearing from view and apparently into thin air.

'I'll be damned,' Emmy whispered. 'Fidelius charm.'

After finding a suitable and not particularly obvious place to hide and watch they settled in to wait. Over the next few hours several cloaked figures disappeared in and out of the same spot, seeming to vanish at a point between two rather large suburban houses. They may not have managed to capture their Death Eater but they had hit pay dirt. Before them, hidden by one of the most powerful concealment charms known to the wizarding world was a Death Eater safe house.

**

* * *

**

Two near silent pops announced the arrival of the Weasley twins and Harry had to admit he was happy for the extra company. He had no doubt that shortly the Lestranges would split up and he and Daphne couldn't follow them all.

'Anything yet?' George whispered in question.

All four of them were huddled at the mouth of an alley smack in the middle of London spying on the three Lestranges who appeared to be more than a little giddy with their new found freedom. Turning to answer Harry got his first good look at the twins. George was the better off of the two with just the large gash across his right cheek and a black eye. Fred's left hand was bandaged to protect two broken fingers and his jaw was swelling. He also had a thin deep red line that ran around his neck that suggested one of the Carrow siblings had attempted to strangle him with something.

'You alright?'

They nodded and Daphne moved to tend to Fred's jaw, murmuring healing spells to bring down the swelling. She wasn't the best healer but it would be enough to help put off a trip to Madam Pomfrey.

'Bellatrix is getting antsy; she'll be heading for Voldemort soon.'

'Do you think we'll be able to follow her when she does?'

Harry shook his head. Wherever Voldemort was it was guaranteed to be shielded against the likes of Harry. Most likely it would be warded with specially designed wards that refused to let through anyone that hadn't sworn allegiance to the Dark Lord. That was a pain Harry wasn't planning to experience again.

'We stick to the other two,' Harry ordered. 'Get what we can out of them and then kill them. We won't get Bellatrix tonight.'

'If the opportunity strikes do we try to capture her?' asked Daphne.

Harry thought about it for a moment, trading looks with the twins and weighing the likelihood of taking Bellatrix down at this point. It didn't look good so he answered negative, there would be other opportunities.

Ahead of them the restless form of Bellatrix Lestrange muttered something to her partner and disapparated. Harry signaled for them to make their move and as one the four swept forward and attacked, using magic to pull the pair back into the ally. Fred and George attacked as one, using almost the same spells to fight the Lestrange brothers. Daphne darted around the battling foursome to get behind the Death Eaters. Harry would have joined her were it not for the sudden and sharp burning pain in his wrist.

'Ally!'

**

* * *

**

After a vicious game of Paper Scissors Rock in which Daphne had come out the victor, Ron had pulled stay-at-home duty. He and Martin were the only two left in the ADADA room monitoring the situation. Both were on edge waiting to hear back from all of the members out around Britain bringing Voldemort's Death Eaters under control.

Fred and George had been the first to leave and had reported in just minutes ago that the Carrow siblings were dead. They'd removed any form Voldemort might have of magically tracking the two and left magical markers on the bodies for Harry to find before heading out again. This time they would join the hunt for the Lestranges. Ron took a great deal of comfort in knowing that there would now be two extra people backing up Daphne. Not that Harry couldn't do a great job on his own.

On the wall before them several colored dots flashed briefly before disappearing from one section of the map and appearing in another. Ginny and Luna were now just outside Glastonbury hopefully with a more promising lead on Antonin Dolohov. The map of Britain was alight with multiple colours, a large portion of which kept changing locations. Those were the colored pins that corresponded to the ADADA members. Susan's dot sat comfortably on the map directly on the spot where the Ministry of Magic was located.

A strangled gasp from behind him coincided with another black dot appearing on the map so Ron didn't really give it much thought. A small messenger owl of the twins' creation burst into a puff of feathers in the air beside his head. A quick glance at the message it held told him that the Death Eater that Jesse had just killed wasn't one of the escapee's but she had given him a lead. Seconds later Jesse's white dot vanished and reappeared in a large town on the west coast of Ireland. Ron pinned Jesse's note to the wall to the left of the map and returned his focus to Daphne's green blot.

'Ron?'

'Yeah?' he asked distractedly.

'Ron?'

'What?' he asked, turning to face his strangely nervous sounding DADA professor.

Her face was white and her hand was clutching her swollen belly. His eyes widened.

'No! No, no, no, no, no!' he said, backing away from her in alarm. 'Not now!'

'Like I have a choice!' she growled.

War against Voldemort and his Death Eaters Ron could handle, Merlin, he nearly preferred it to this. He rubbed a hand over his face and tried really hard not to panic.

'Go,' he said. 'I'll handle this.'

Her eyes widened and she shook her head. Without warning she moved forward and snatched up his hand. 'I'm not going alone!'

If he were the old Ron he would have remained blissfully ignorant to the fear in her eyes. But he wasn't the old Ron and this Ron was fully aware that Harry would want him to help if he couldn't be there himself. And of course this had to happen while both Harry and Ruby were out hunting down some of the most dangerous Death Eaters. Struggling with how on earth he was going to take Martin to the Hospital Wing and still watch and organize the ADADAs efforts Ron came to a very hasty and probably stupid decision.

Snatching a piece of parchment off a nearby table he scribbled a quick note and then grabbed up the messenger owl Jesse had used. Harry was going to kill him for this.

**

* * *

**

Hermione was getting nowhere with her research, everything she tried led her to more questions and only answered a fraction of the old ones. She was also disappearing quickly behind an ever growing pile of books and her filing system was beginning to lack several necessary categories. While the Martin library was one of the best stocked she had ever seen, heard or read about it held nothing that she could use to translate and make sense of the cave papers. Her frustration was interrupted by a face full of plush, fake feathered owl.

Confused she snatched the fake owl out of the air and snatched up the note.

_The ADADA room, now. I need your help._

She would recognize Ron's messy scrawl anywhere and to be invited to the ADADA room? She really hoped nothing was wrong because she knew, well had an inkling, what they got up to and that was some very dangerous stuff. She didn't bother to tidy anything, just left it all where it was and ran. She blew right passed Professor McGonagall and barely managed to apologies for nearly knocking the transfiguration teacher off her feet.

She skidded to a stop outside the ADADA room and hesitated. She'd never been invited in before and only knew where it was because she'd followed Luna once. She knocked tentatively and waited for some sign that she was welcome to enter. Ron opened the door looking almost ashen under his freckles.

'What's happened?' she demanded, terrified to hear the answer.

He motioned her inside and she got her first good look at the room. Her darting eyes took in every detail, from the giant map of Britain and Ireland on one wall to the other lined with notes and lines connecting newspaper articles that almost concealed a door. The other wall was covered in weapons, potions vials and text books. The final wall, the one she had entered along she couldn't make heads or tails of. The room as a whole took her breath away.

'Hermione, I need you to listen very carefully to what I'm about to tell you.'

She nodded, understanding the severity of the situation. She listened intently to Ron as he explained, glancing briefly at Professor Martin who was leaning forward against the desk breathing heavily.

'Ally's in labor.'

'Oh!'

'And everyone's out tracking Death Eaters so I need you to stay here and coordinate everyone.'

Delighted at finally being included but terrified that one mistake could harm one of Ron or Harry's friends Hermione nodded hesitantly.

Ron motioned to the large map. 'The black dots are dead Death Eaters, the colored ones are the ADADA, Susan's at the Ministry working things on that end. I'm sending Stephanie up to help you, she'll explain everything else.'

Professor Martin cried out and Ron hurried to her side with a wince.

'Shouldn't you owl or Floo someone? Her husband maybe?'

'He knows,' Martin said, 'He'll be here when he can.'

'I really need to take her to Madam Pomfrey. Stephanie shouldn't be too long; she just has to bribe Peeves to cover her shift.'

Hermione wasn't going to even ask about that she just turned her attention to the map and hoped Stephanie wouldn't be too long.


	47. Chapter 41

**a/n: **thank you all for the fantastic reviews. they are so very much appreciated and your enthusiasm for this story absolutely boggles my mind. let me know your thoughts on this chapter and i hope you enjoy it.

**Chapter 41**

Ruby was ducking even before Sirius had the command fully formed. Too busy to really think about it, he fired a powerful hex he'd learnt behind these very walls at an inmate who hadn't quite made it out but had managed to get hold of a wand. The slimy witch had been hiding in the lower levels just waiting to pounce. She fell under Sirius' spell and he moved forward to secure her. The witch was dead, her chest shredded into nothing more than ribbons.

'Nice spell,' Ruby commented, scooping up the stolen wand and pocketing it.

'I like to fight dirty.'

Ruby grinned. 'I'll have to remember that.'

Sirius winked but before he could say anything they were both knocked to the floor. Explosions rocked through Azkaban, shaking it to its very foundations. Struggling to their feet they ran toward the source. Prisoners were screaming out for help and in some cases laughing maniacally. Used to the depressing shouts, Sirius just ignored everyone who was safely locked away and ran. They hit a wall of fire coming off the stairs and the room was fast filling with smoke. Just as Ruby was stepping forward to investigate the fire Tonks was tossed through the wall of flames. She landed in a crumpled heap at their feet.

'You alright?' Sirius asked reaching down and hauling her to her feet.

'One of the inmates set off what looked like a muggle pipe bomb.'

Not having the time to fully question how or why an inmate had one of those, the three focused on putting out the flames. It took longer than they would have liked and by the time they had cleared enough of the area to get further down the hall several more prisoners had already made their move.

'This isn't working,' Ruby growled. 'Let's just capture who we can, kill the rest and torch this place.'

'We have enough cells at the Ministry for about thirty prisoners,' Tonks offered.

'So we discount ten of those for the ADADAD and take those who have the lesser crimes.'

A wailing shriek from the floor above and another explosion rocked through the place and Tonks, still unsteady on her feet, fell to her knees.

'Bugger it.' Ruby crouched low and pulled several objects out of her pockets. 'Get all of the Ministry workers out; this isn't going to be pretty.'

With a flick of her wand Tonks created a loud wailing siren to filter through all of the halls and levels of the prison.

'Give it two minutes and then detonate.'

Ruby nodded and handed two small round devices to Sirius, ordering him to take them downstairs and place them at either end of the hallway. He darted off and she gave another to Tonks who gave a swift nod before darting down the hallway and up three flights of stairs. She would meet them outside once they were all in place. Going up just one flight of stairs, Ruby found a gap in the floor created by one of the explosions and wedged the device in there. Satisfied it was placed to cause the most damage she activated the emergency portkey all Ministry officials entering the prison were given.

She was wrenched out of the smoke filled halls and landed with a wavering thud on the small floating Ministry check point two miles from the prison island. Tonks was already waiting for her; though she was a little too busy holding her wand on an Auror looking to get curse happy with Sirius.

'Did everyone get out?'

'Everyone we wanted did.'

Ruby nodded once and gave a much directed flick of her wand. There was a distant rumble as the devices detonated and suddenly Azkaban was caving in on itself. Its walls crumbling and the island falling in huge chunks into the sea. Any screams the prisoners might have been making were drowned out by the sound of Azkaban falling. The Auror Tonks had her wand on gaped at the sight and spluttered something incoherent about all of the prisoners.

'There were at least a hundred people in there!' he shouted angrily.

'No there weren't,' Sirius replied. 'At least twenty Death Eaters escaped earlier and they left the wards so badly damaged that a lot more people got out.'

'I'll have a list drawn up and see who we can locate; any Death Eaters can be assumed to have survived until we know more.'

Without waiting for a response, Tonks grabbed the Auror by the arm and apparated back to the Ministry to clean up the very large mess Ruby had just created.

'What were those things?' Sirius questioned, his eyes fixed on the falling pieces of the place he had hated to call home for twelve years.

'They were the strongest things in the twins' arsenal,' she answered. 'I got a hold of a couple muggle grenades and they made some improvements.'

Sirius let out a low whistle. 'Some improvements.'

Ruby laughed. 'It's a wonder either of them have any fingers left. They were working with Snape's strongest stuff.'

They simply stood and watched as the last remnants of Azkaban fell into the sea. Neither could do more than hope that this would open the eyes of the wizarding world to Voldemort's return.

**

* * *

**

Harry shook his arm furiously; swear words dripping from his mouth at a rate that could make a sailor blush. He was under a hastily placed silencing charm because he was distracting the twins and causing several curious people to look into the alley. Daphne was by his side trying to calm him down. Stamping his foot furiously, he clenched his jaw and gave Daphne a slight nod. His eyes were watering but he blinked away the tears furiously.

'Are you okay?'

Harry shot her a sharp look. 'I'm bloody peachy,' he growled.

'What happened?'

'Ally's in labor and I think,' he gritted out, 'I think I'm forming a connection with the baby.'

He held up both wrists for her to see. The one that normally showed small flickering flames had grown until the flames were flickering wildly against the inside of his elbow. The other was angry and red and smoking slightly. Daphne could see from the expression on Harry's face that the experience was completely painful, though she couldn't tell whether it was his arm that hurt more or that he was feeling Ally's contractions. Or the combination of both.

'Go, we'll finish here and call it night.'

Harry shook his head, took a deep and unclenched his jaw long enough to grumble out another sentence. 'No, we get this done, finish here and help Ginny and Luna, send the twins after Jesse and Steven.'

'We can handle it.'

Harry shook his head again. 'Body pick up.'

Daphne shook her head, this time in exasperation over his stubbornness. Daphne motioned him on his way. 'We'll leave a beacon when these two have been dealt with.'

Harry nodded once and then flamed away to pick up the Death Eaters the ADADA had captured or killed. His first stop was to collect the Carrow siblings. He found their bodies in a small wooded area on the outskirts of a fishing village. The bodies were soaked in blood from the wounds that had killed them. They were chained to a tree and the magic beacon Susan had designed was sitting on Amycus' chest. Grabbing an ankle with each hand, the ankle being the best attached and least bloody, Harry flamed to Susan's location.

He arrived in a well lit room that looked a lot like the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts. With the obvious exception of the chains attached to half of the beds. They reminded Harry of the chains attached to the chair he'd seen in the memory of Crouch's trial. Susan was sitting cross legged on one of the beds silently observing the preparations Moody and the medi-wizard were making for the incoming dead and possibly wounded Death Eaters. Both Moody and the medi-wizard startled when Harry appeared behind them in the middle of the room crouched beside the very bloody bodies of the Carrow siblings. Moody gave a gruff greeting and used his wand to move the two onto beds. The medi-wizard approached the beds while Moody approached Harry.

'Dumbledore knows nothing of this, does he?'

Harry shrugged. 'He's not ready to know.'

'We're gonna have a word soon, Potter.'

'Yes,' Harry agreed. 'Tonks alone can't organize my Aurors.'

Moody raise an eyebrow at Harry's use of the word "my" but said nothing. He had no doubt in his mind that those Ministry employees he was referring to would consider themselves to be working for Harry Potter and not the Ministry. After all, in the battle against Voldemort you really want to side with the guy who has the better record. If you put it on a scoreboard it would read Ministry: 0 Harry Potter: 4.

'I've got another pick up.'

And with that he was gone. A notoriously hard person to surprise, Moody's jaw almost hit the floor when Harry vanished in a swirl of flames. Susan jumped off the bed with a smug grin.

'Impressive isn't he?'

**

* * *

**

'Bloody hell.'

Stephanie's quiet exclamation carried across the near silent room to where Hermione sat studying the more detailed instructions Ron had written down and given to Stephanie regarding the map. She looked up at the girl to question her but the look on her face was one of complete shock; she didn't look like she could form much more than the two words she'd unconsciously spoken. Hermione turned to the map to see what held her attention and saw a small section of the map burning a bright yellow. She moved closer to get a better look and realized the yellow dot was located not on the coast like she'd initially thought but was in fact in the sea. She could make out a word in black bold letters just below the smoldering yellow.

Azkaban.

'I don't believe it,' Stephanie murmured, this time in awe. 'They bloody destroyed Azkaban!'

'The Death Eaters?'

'Black, Reid and Tonks.'

Hermione's mouth fell open and she gaped like a fish. They'd destroyed Azkaban? Completely destroyed Britain's only wizarding prison? The only thing she could think to say was a question about the purpose behind destroying the only place well warded and guarded enough to hold captured Death Eaters.

'We don't usually capture them,' was Stephanie's simple response.

Hermione chose not to think too much on that because it implied that a group of underage students form Hogwarts were not only seeking out and hunting down dangerous criminals and followers of Voldemort but that they themselves were killing people. The idea of Harry killing someone, though not wholly a new concept (she remembered Quirrell), was not a comfortable one.

'Looks like Ginny and Luna are on the move again.'

Happy for the distraction from her dark and not at all comforting thoughts, Hermione turned her attention to the map. Ginny and Luna were now in Diagon Alley of all places and she wondered how any Death Eater could be stupid enough to travel to such a well known magical area.

The answer was quite simple.

Ginny was flat on her back on the roof of a small second hand bookstore that bordered the entrance to Knockturn Alley. She was taking a breather from all of the moving around while she waited for Luna to come back. The blonde was further down the street at Florean's getting some much needed food. She was listening out with one ear for her friend and the other was focused on the harsh words filtering out of the mouth of the alley.

They'd lost sight of Dolohov the moment he entered the dark and twisting alley. The path was too narrow and twisted to follow him without running the risk of being caught giving them few options. They had two choices, either they could follow him along the rooftops and hope that no one spotted them or they could wait at the mouth of the alley and hope that he soon made a return. He wouldn't be foolish enough to apparate from inside the alley where everyone and their illegally bred two-headed dogs could follow him. No, he'd either use the Floo network or he would come back to the mouth before disapparating.

If he chose to use the Floo then there was no chance of them following him but if he came back to the mouth of the alley there was some hope. Either way, Ginny was dead tired, hungry as Ron when he missed a meal and her feet were sore form some last minute sprinting they'd had to do in order to not get caught out in the open. With a yawn she moved to sit up and peeked over the edge of the building. There was no sign of Dolohov but she could see Luna standing in front of Florean's still shielded by her cloak and holding two ice-creams. She was talking to someone, a tall male someone. Ginny squinted and nearly fell off the roof when she realized who the older man was. Xenophilius Lovegood squinted passed his daughter and offered a wink in Ginny's direction.

Ginny was damn sure if her dad caught her sneaking around Diagon Alley hunting Death Eaters when she was supposed to be in school he'd kill her. Xenophilius Lovegood appeared to be having a delightful conversation with his daughter and was…offering to pay for the ice creams. Ginny shook her. There were some things that took some getting used to but this one took the cake for strangest. As she watched Luna gave her father a very awkward no armed hug and moved back in the direction of the alley. Her father watched her go for a moment before throwing a casual wave in Ginny's direction and heading off further down the alley.

'Daddy says he has a friend at the Floo regulation department who can keep an eye on the movements of suspected Death Eaters if we give him a list of names.'

Ginny's eyebrows rose though she shouldn't really have been surprised that Luna had told her father the truth. They were an odd pair but surprisingly astute individuals. She accepted the ice cream Luna handed her and continued to watch the alley while her friend spoke.

'He also said that a few minutes ago he overheard one of the goblins at Gringotts talking about the birth of a new phoenix.'

Ginny opened her mouth to make a confused comment, registered her friend's words at the last minute and ended up spitting out a jumble of the alphabet that didn't resemble much of anything.

'You think Ally's had the baby?' she asked when she finally got the words and letters to arrange themselves in coherent order before leaving her mouth.

Luna nodded.

'Your father knows about Harry and Ally?'

Luna looked thoughtful for a moment and Ginny waited patiently, half expecting something weird and illogical to come out of her friend's mouth.

'No but the birth of a phoenix is very rare so he was especially surprised to hear about it at Gringotts.'

Ginny nodded her understanding and checked her watch. 'We can't stay here any longer; I think we've missed him.'

'You may be right. Let's just give it another half hour.'

'What do you think they'll name the baby?'

Luna considered her answer carefully; shooting a quick spell down into the alley when it looked like a seedy old witch was getting a little too friendly with her seedy wizard companion. Not something either really wanted to witness.

'James,' she answered finally, when both the witch and wizard had their clothes back in appropriate places and were hastily exiting the alley.

'It's a girl.'

'What's your point?'

**

* * *

**

It felt like hours since he'd last felt all of his fingers. He was fairly sure they were still attached because Martin had to be gripping something but he could no longer tell whether she gripped a whole hand or the mere charred remains that used to be flesh and bone. Another contraction washed over her and she clenched his wrist this time. Once the pain had passed she loosened her grip and Madam Pomfrey ran forward and covered the quickly blistering flesh of his arm with thick burn paste.

The room was a complete mess. The curtains they had been using to separate Martin from the other patients in the room (a second year Hufflepuff with a bout of something nasty and green and a fourth year Slytherin who'd had an incident on his broom) had been burned to nothing more than ashes. The bed beneath her was stripped bare and the mattress covered in a number of the strongest fireproofing spells Ron knew. Madam Pomfrey, like Ron was sporting several burns though she didn't seem bothered in the slightest.

Martin herself looked terrible, though Ron wouldn't dare tell her. Her face was red and sticky; any sweat dripping down her forehead quickly evaporated causing steam to whisper away from her skin. Her hair was a mess and she couldn't keep still for the pain scorching not just through her body due to contractions but through her wrist as well. The connection she was forming with her baby a much slower process than that of the one she formed with Harry.

'Where is he?' she bit out.

'He'll be here,' Ron assured her.

Madam Pomfrey approached the end of the bed and lifted the sheet a little to check on Martin's progress. She leapt back in wide eyed surprise when a trail of smoke slithered out from under the sheet. Ron's eyes practically bugged out of his head, he may not be able to see what Pomfrey had seen but he had an idea where that smoke was coming from. All Ron could think was that Harry bloody well better get there soon.


	48. Chapter 42

**a/n:** i cannot express just how sorry i am that it took this damn long to get this chapter up. just think of me saying sorry a gagillion times and you should be about there. I'd like to say i have a legitimate excuse but i got a little lazy and work got crazy and my cat got a little high or low i guess, he's very flat at the moment and spent several days spaced out. Anyway please enjoy this chapter but be warned that some of the imagery may cause a slight urge to heave or scar you for life. Child birth is gruesome people. lol. please let me know your thoughts on this chapter and i again apologize for the wait.

**Chapter 42**

Professor McGonagall awoke to the feel of the castle shaking beneath her. With the second tremor she was out of bed, wand at the ready and reaching for her dressing gown. Feet hastily shoved into slippers, she dashed out of her rooms and into the hallway where she nearly collided with Peeves, an altogether unpleasant experience. She tried to step around him but he mirrored her actions. Fed up she was about to curse him when he blew a raspberry and then promptly snapped to attention, bad salute and all.

'The Weasel boy says you're to go to the Hospital Wing immediately.'

It took her a moment to wrap her head around that one but once she had she assumed that one of the Weasley's had sent Peeves to her with a message. How they'd gotten Peeves to deliver it was almost as interesting as what could be happening that had the castle shaking beneath her feet and what was at the Hospital Wing.

'Thank you, Peeves.'

On her way to the Hospital Wing, McGonagall passed several ghosts that looked as though they were being forced against their will in the opposite direction to the Hospital Wing. Nearly Headless Nick was actually soaring backward, with a hand holding his head on properly. It seemed that whichever Weasley had told her to head to the Hospital Wing had at least some idea of what was happening. Half a dozen suits of armour ran passed her, filling the corridors with the squeaks and groans of metal joints.

The scene inside the Hospital Wing was near chaos. Professor Martin lay on one of the beds surrounded by the charred remains of bedding and curtains, her hands and feet on fire. Her troubles didn't seem to be drawing the attention of Madam Pomfrey who was hovering over a bed tending to an unconscious and heavily bleeding figure. The Weasley in question, Ron, was administering basic first aid to a group of students who appeared to have been injured during the tremors and was sending them on their way just as quickly. When he'd sent the last of them off, bandaged and no longer bleeding he turned his attention to and older student sitting on one of the beds and clutching his arm protectively to his chest.

As she stood back and watched, Ron braced himself against the bed and fired a healing spell at the students arm. The spell made an alarming crack and the boy screamed out as his arm snapped straight and his shoulder slipped back into its socket. McGonagall hurried forward to Ron's side and looked down at the boy. Unlike all of the other students he wasn't dressed in either pyjamas or a hastily donned school uniform. Instead he was dressed in all black muggle clothing and was covered in blood and sand.

'Mr Jacks, what on earth happened to you?'

Ron jumped about a foot in the air and turned to greet his professor. McGonagall looked him over shrewdly taking in the ratty t-shirt and faded muggle jeans. He wasn't covered in blood or sand but one of his hands was covered in thick yellow burn paste and two of his fingers were bent at an awkward angle that suggested they were broken. This fact didn't seem to be bothering him at all as he used his weaker hand to heal Jesse Jacks.

'Escaped Death Eater,' he informed her in a rough, gravelly voice.

If she'd asked he could have explained his state away with an explanation about a truly unpleasant spell that forced the person on the wrong end to choke on mouthfuls of sand. Instead she swept her gaze over him, shooting Ron an approving nod and then moved her attention to the figure on the next bed. Madam Pomfrey was bent over the patient frantically casting spell after spell. None of which seemed to be having any affect. She gave one last try, the most powerful healing charm she knew but it was no good.

'There's nothing I can do.'

'Who is she?' McGonagall's words coincided with a scream from Ally and the floor beneath them trembled once more. 'What is causing that?'

'Professor Martin,' Ron replied answering her second question. 'We don't know the woman.'

Professor McGonagall wasn't sure which question she wanted to ask first, about Martin shaking the building or the unknown woman occupying a bed. She settled for the unknown woman as the castle had stopped shaking and she assumed there was time enough to get to the bottom of it once they'd dealt with the stranger.

'Where did she come from?'

'Devon,' Jesse croaked. 'She and her daughter were being held by Death Eaters, I couldn't get to the girl but I got her.'

McGonagall pursed her lips and frowned at the pair. There was far more behind that explanation than she knew but she also knew that until they deemed it necessary she wouldn't find out. Just as she came to the conclusion that she would still get what she could out of them the castle shook harder than it had before. A sudden heat had them all spinning to see Ally's entire body had gone up in flames. Her eyes were closed and she didn't seem to be aware of her surroundings. Ron took a step forward, the only one game enough or stupid enough to approach her when her eyes snapped open and she screamed out the last three words McGonagall ever expected to hear from her. The words carried enough volume and power to blow out all of the glass in the windows.

'Harry James Potter.'

**

* * *

**

Hermione was frantic; she didn't know how to handle what was happening around her. She didn't know what to tell those who came in injured and she certainly didn't know what she was supposed to tell those who didn't. When Jesse had arrived, his little coloured light moving from Devon to Hogwarts she'd been relieved and then they'd received word that he was carrying an injured woman. Stephanie handled it like a professional, she directed Jesse to the Hospital Wing, made a note of his arrival, sent a house elf to warn Ron and Madam Pomfrey that they had wounded coming and then barely flinched when the castle started to shake beneath them.

Abby and Emmy sent word with one of the fake owls saying they had located a possible Death Eater safe house and while Hermione's first instinct was to run to Dumbledore or at the very least Ron, Stephanie organised to send the twins as back up and arranged for Aurors—Ministry Aurors!—to take over at dawn. With new instructions, the twins returned just long enough to drop off a mildly injured Daphne and grab some food before leaving again. Daphne herself stayed just long enough to perform some healing spells, hear the news about Martin, and leave a message for Ron. Healed and satisfied with her message for Ron, she then headed off in a hurry to help out Steven who had sent word he was under attack.

It was organised chaos and Hermione didn't know how it worked. All she could do was sit back and watch as a group of students as young as she was proved how capable they were of handling Death Eaters. She'd been sceptical when Harry had first offered to handle the problem that someone was watching her parents and she'd been nothing but surprised when she had received a letter from her parents stating that whoever had been watching them was gone. While a part of her wanted to attribute it all to a misunderstanding on her parents part there was the far greater, logical part of her mind that told her Harry had done just what he said he would. Watching the ADADA members come and go, seeing them take charge of a situation with their leader laid up in the Hospital Wing about to give birth really drove it home for her.

These kids knew what they were doing and they were doing it well. Just being part of it, even in such a small manner as to be cataloguing and organising their library made her feel like she was actively helping fight the war against Voldemort. It gave her hope that Voldemort could be beaten.

'Emergency portkey!' Stephanie shouted, unaware that the warning meant very little to Hermione.

Thankfully Hermione was seated on one of the desks and was clear of the centre of the room when Ruby appeared clutching a rubber duck. Stephanie, who had leapt clear of the designated portkey area strode forward quickly and took the rubber duck from Ruby. She was already talking before Hermione had sat up.

'He's not here yet, you better get there quick, Ron's already got a broken hand and some pretty bad burns.'

As she spoke, the castle shook worse than it had before, making all of the hair on Hermione's arms stand up. Ruby nodded, not even seeming to notice the way the castle shook beneath her feet. She'd just reached the door when the sound of someone screaming reached them and all of the windows exploded outward. Though the words of the scream were unclear, Ruby appeared to understand their meaning. She growled something under her breath as she left that sounded suspiciously like she was planning to strangle someone. Before Hermione could ask Stephanie what was going on, Susan's little light moved from the Ministry back to Hogwarts. She appeared a few minutes later in the ADADA room rubbing a red and blistered section of her left hand again her side and carrying a box of papers.

'He nearly exploded,' she explained to Stephanie, glancing briefly at Hermione and using her eyes to convey her full meaning. 'Dumbledore's at the Ministry so we haven't got much more time.'

She put the box down on one of the tables and pushed it toward Hermione. Curious at actually being able to get a look at something the ADADA had brought back from the Ministry, Hermione eagerly explored the contents of the box.

'This is everything the Department of Magical Creatures has on Dementors.'

Hermione frowned, there wasn't much in the box and most of it appeared to be hand written notes on how best to control them. 'This isn't much.'

'I know,' Susan agreed with some frustration. 'But with Azkaban gone the Dementors have nothing to stop them from joining Voldemort.'

With that terrifying thought pushing her on, Hermione started to read through the contents more thoroughly, taking careful and meticulous notes in a journal she'd picked up in Hogsmeade. She was starting to feel like she could use some help in the research department and must have voiced the thought aloud because Susan answered her.

'I don't know that there's anyone else at this school right now who can match your research skills Hermione and definitely no one we trust that much.'

Hermione bowed her head, embarrassed by the unexpected praise of her skills. 'Perhaps you could put together a list of topics the ADADA need researching and put them in order of priority?'

Susan nodded thoughtfully. 'We could ask Harry about that but I'm sure the lot of us have bits and pieces that need researching. I know Ron's been looking for a way to get something like this map on a more global scale.'

The trio sat around in silence, each going about their own little tasks until Jesse returned from the Hospital Wing looking like he'd been scarred for life. When Stephanie asked him what was wrong he said he never wanted to watch another woman in labour and left it at that. Ginny and Luna appeared moments later looking dead on their feet. They dropped off what little information they'd gathered for the ADADA to look over later and then disappeared off to bed before anyone could ask them to do anything else. Ginny's parting words were to have someone let her know when the baby was born. Like Ruby, neither Ginny nor Luna seemed particularly perturbed by the occasional earthquakes that seemed to be rocking the castle.

'Poor Ally,' Susan commiserated when a particularly powerful tremor sent her tumbling to the floor.

'Tell me about it,' Stephanie winced. 'I hope the baby comes soon.'

**

* * *

**

Having nearly barbequed Susan when he felt the power of Ally's call and nearly getting caught by Dumbledore at the Ministry, Harry was feeling well and truly annoyed when he arrived in the Hospital Wing. Only the fact that Ally was in serious pain and giving birth to his daughter prevented him from attacking Ron when he smacked Harry upside the head the moment the flames had settled.

'About blood time, mate.'

Harry ignored him and moved directly to Ally's side, reaching down to grab her hand while pushing some of her sticky hair off her face. Steam was rising off her head and her hands and feet were still burning. She was squirming on the bed, the tears pouring down her cheeks never making it to her chin before they succumbed to evaporation.

'Where have you been?' Ally cried.

'I'm sorry,' Harry replied, though he knew his words meant little at the moment.

'I think it's time,' Madam Pomfrey announced with a slight quiver of fear.

Harry glanced up at her and then he noticed Professor McGonagall. He gulped heavily at the look on her face. She was a bright woman and she'd definitely already put two and two together, though he could tell the timing was throwing her a little. While the Harry and Ally having baby math added up quite nicely and provided the answers to several questions McGonagall hadn't wanted to ask the timing of the pregnancy was giving her a little trouble.

'I need you to get on the bed and keep her calm,' Madam Pomfrey instructed, drawing Harry from an unwanted battle of the wills between him and McGonagall. 'This is going to be very hard on her.'

Harry nodded and stripped off his shirt, boots and socks. He slid onto the bed behind Ally and pulled her back so she was resting against is chest. Straight away he could feel the heat coming off her. He took one of her hands in his and grabbed one of Ruby's with the other. Ruby squeezed his hand briefly before pulling away to talk to Ron. After a quick whispered conversation, Ron left with a nod and an encouraging smile at Ally.

'I will kill you after this,' Ally grunted.

'I think I'll let you,' Harry replied with an uneasy laugh.

'Okay, Ally it's time to push,' Madam Pomfrey instructed, her voice still holding that slight tremor that said though she was prepared to catch the burning bub she was in no way certain of how to look after a flaming baby. 'On the count of three. Ready? One, two, three.'

Ally's face scrunched up in effort and she gripped Harry's hand so tightly that even with his slight phoenix enhancements he still felt several bones crack. He didn't cry out, ignoring the pain and instead focusing on soothing her and keeping her calm. Ruby had wisely withdrawn her hand on one. Ally collapsed back against him, panting and crying. Still, she continued to push as Madam Pomfrey instructed, McGonagall's startled and horrified gasp made Harry look up and what he saw made him swear he would never ever think beating Ally in a fight meant he was stronger. Madam Pomfrey was shrouded in a cloud of steam and smoke as she worked to coax the baby free. Though McGonagall was not in a position to see what Pomfrey could see she could definitely see enough.

What seemed to Harry like seconds later but felt to Ally like hours, she flopped back against him and a sharp cry rent the air. Harry froze. The world around him dropped away and all he could focus on was the sound of an infant crying. He was a father. Harry James Potter was a father.

'Bloody hell,' he whispered in awe.

He didn't have much time to bask in the awe as Madam Pomfrey cried out and he had to scramble off the bed and rush to her side in time to safely remove the still burning baby from the poor woman. While McGonagall rushed forward to assist a very badly burnt Pomfrey Harry gazed down at his daughter in wonder. She was perfect. Tiny little fingers and toes, a mop of blonde hair and little blue eyes that he knew, though he couldn't say how, would one day soon become the startling green eyes of his mother. Harry felt tears in his eyes but he made no move to brush them away. Cradling his daughter ever so gently he moved to Ally's side and lowered the naked and burning bundle into her mother's arms.

Ally looked down at their baby with the same awe and wonder he was feeling. She caught a little hand in hers and turned it to see that on the inside of her wrist their baby girl had a little flaming birth mark that would forever connect her to her parents. Ally burst into renewed tears and looked up at Harry.

'She's perfect,' she sobbed joyfully.

Hours later mother and child were clean and dressed, sleeping the sleep of the truly exhausted. Ally was snuggled into Harry's side as he sat on the bed cradling their daughter and just watching her sleep. Ruby was curled up in the chair beside the bed, watching him with a small smile. It was McGonagall who finally broke the silence. She'd been and gone several times, throughout the night and had returned just moments before with breakfast for Harry and Ruby. No one commented on the fact that she could have ordered a house elf to bring it, or that she could have conjured it.

'What will you name her?' she asked in a whisper.

Harry glanced at Ruby and smiled, remembering a promise he'd made when they'd first told her about Ally's pregnancy. He looked back up at Professor McGonagall and smiled tiredly.

'Molly, her name is Molly.'


	49. Chapter 43

**a/n: **once more i just want to thank all of you for the awesome feedback. hearing what you have to say lets me know when i'm doing things right or wrong. the fact that so many of you had issues with the baby's name let me know i was doing something right. lol. enjoy the next chapter and let me know your thoughts.

**Chapter 43**

Detention, he had detention. As if he didn't have enough problems, now he had a detention with Professor Sinistra for cursing a Slytherin seventh year in the hallway. Harry didn't even care that he was leaving muddy footprints and a trail of water behind as he stomped through the corridors to Ally's rooms. He couldn't care less if Filch gave him another detention; he was just in that kind of mood. All he wanted was a nice hot shower and some quality time with his girls. What he got was an earful from Filch who still knew the secret passages better than anyone and a second detention. He was so close to taking a swipe at Mrs Norris with his broom. He needed sleep and food and dry clothes.

Ruby was lying on the couch surrounded by Molly's toys when Harry stomped in through the door, she was sound asleep. Not bothering to wake her he just continued on through until he was in the bathroom, dropping his broom on the living room floor as he went. Five minutes later he was feeling as close to human as he was going to get given that he wasn't entirely human on a good day. Dressed in thick warm socks (a present from Dobby), flannel pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt he went in search of his daughter. He dropped his dirty clothes in the hamper for Pip and made a beeline for the crib in the corner of the bedroom.

Molly lay on her back, little arms and legs wriggling happily as she watched the mobile above her bed. The moment Harry had seen it he'd done nothing but laugh. A gift from Ruby, the little miniature figures zoomed about playing their own game of Quidditch. Apparently every one of their friends was determined to turn Molly into a Quidditch player. At least the players were dressed in Gryffindor colours and not the horrible orange that represented Ron's favourite team.

'Hey, baby girl,' he whispered, lifting her gently from her bed. 'Were you good for Ruby?'

Easing her into a comfortable position that had taken him a few tries to really get the hang of, Harry wandered back through to the living room and gently nudged Ruby awake. She sat up, showering toys onto her lap and looked at Harry in confusion. She seemed surprised to see him which was stupid because he did live there for the most part.

'Quidditch practice over already?'

'Normally it wouldn't be but it's raining too hard for any of us to see and I think Alicia nearly drowned.'

Ruby made a face and got up from the couch, gathering her things as she went. They were only going to be able to take advantage of her free babysitting for so long before she had too much work to do. The backlash from blowing up Azkaban had yet to die down and while it ensured that Ruby had plenty of free time for the moment, soon she would be back at work and it would be up to Tilly to watch Molly during classes.

'Ally should be back soon, she's at a staff meeting.'

Harry nodded. 'I know, Madam Hooch mentioned it when I ran into her near the broom shed.'

'Do you know what it was about? Snape came bursting in here like his robes were on fire.'

Harry frowned. Now that he thought about it, Madam Hooch had been in a far greater hurry to clear the Quidditch pitch than was truly warranted. He hadn't noticed any of the other teachers acting particularly twitching during his classes or lunch so whatever was happening must have been a recent development.

'You don't suppose they've actually decided to take steps against Voldemort, do you?'

Ruby gave him a sceptical look and he had to shake his head at his own words. While Dumbledore might have strengthened the wards around the castle he wouldn't do anything that screamed "the Dark Lord has returned" until the _Daily Prophet_ or Minister Fudge declared his return. That meant something of the usual nasty variety was happening and it was likely something Harry couldn't do a thing about. He really hoped Lucius Malfoy hadn't wormed his way back onto the Board of Governors.

A knock on the door drew a frown onto Harry's face but he continued to gently rock Molly while Ruby went to answer it. On the other side, Daphne and Tonks were hidden behind great piles of books. Leaning back slightly, Harry could see Susan and Luna standing behind Tonks both carrying equally large piles of books. Ruby let out a low whistle and Harry began to mentally line up all of the possible people he could arrange to help Hermione. There was no way she was ever going to get through all of the books in the library at the rate they were adding to them.

'Where'd they come from?'

Tonks dropped her pile just inside the door and stepped aside to let the others in. As if the four piles they carried weren't enough, Steven was at the back conducting a further six piles to float along ahead of him.

'They belonged to Death Eaters that were killed during the Azkaban escape. The Ministry finally got permission to raid their houses and vaults at Gringotts for anything illegal.'

Harry was mid way through a nod of understanding when the second part of what Tonks said actually registered in his sleep deprived brain. 'Gringotts? The goblins let Aurors search Gringotts?'

'I know,' Tonks agreed. 'It was crazy, Madam Bones got a letter yesterday from the head of Gringotts advising her that they were willing to help in any way they could without appearing to take sides or tampering with the trust they had earned from their clients.'

Harry had nothing to say to that, instead he just watched as the others deposited their piles on the floor and darted back out of the room. Daphne did stop briefly to hand over a package to Ruby and drop a quick kiss on the first available limb of Molly's she could reach. Ruby left with Tonks and Harry was left alone with nearly a dozen piles of books and a softly gurgling infant that left him little chance of moving them.

Well over an hour later, Harry was submersed in a Herbology essay using his foot to rock Molly side to side in one of her small cradles, this one Ruby's own cradle from infanthood. It wasn't his worst subject for sure but it was still tiresome looking up and exploring all of the different uses of the Searing Sea Sponge. He thought about having a look through the books Tonks had delivered to distract himself but decided against it. A quick glance had shown him one of the books at the bottom of one of Steven's piles was steadily burning though the rug. Rather than risk possible death by investigating, Harry used his wand to move the other books from atop it and enclosed it in a modified bubble charm.

Which was, of course, when Ally threw open the door, the corner of which obliterated the bubble charm and the subsequent magical blowback sent the book straight through the solid stone floor. With a startled snort of amusement and horror, Harry rushed forward and peered down through the new hole in the floor. The book had gone clean through the floor and the cabinet it had landed on and was steaming slightly in a puddle of something that may or may not have been the remains of a gauntlet.

'Why is there a hole in the floor?' Ally asked, joining him to peer down into the hole.

Harry just laughed.

**

* * *

**

Dumbledore resisted the urge to pace. Pacing suggested irritation, nervousness and uncertainty, all things he couldn't afford to show even if he was feeling them. Instead he sat still as a statue behind his desk, chin resting on steepled fingers and eyes focused on a point just beyond Professor Snape's shoulder. Not one of the teachers before him mentioned his mild distraction, they didn't want to let on they were far more aware of his actions than they appeared. Silence filled the room, only broken by the occasional snore of a long dead headmaster. McGonagall used every ounce of self control she had not to fidget. Martin didn't bother pretending to be comfortable; she figured that having just given birth gave her license to wriggle when seated on a wooden chair even if Madam Pomfrey's potions had fixed the majority of the damage done to the parts of her anatomy best not spoken of.

Finally, after long agonising moments of silence, Dumbledore sighed and his focused shifted back onto the three teachers seated before him. Professor Snape was there because there was no one he trusted more to do what was necessary to infiltrate Voldemort's inner circle and bring him down. McGonagall was there because her behaviour over the last week suggested she knew something and was struggling to keep it quiet. Martin was there because no matter how much he wished to deny it, Hogwarts hadn't had a better DADA instructor since long before Voldemort had attended. She had secrets, the list of references and past work she had provided gave him tantalising hints as to what they were and he wanted to discover if she could be trusted and in turn put her to use.

'Someone is doing our job for us.'

It was a sad testament to how well practiced each of his professors were that not one of them gave so much as a tiny flinch at his words.

'What job would that be, sir?' queried Martin.

Dumbledore frowned over his glasses at her. 'You are aware, are you not, Professor Martin, of a group known as the Order of the Phoenix?'

'I could give you a list of their members if the head of the Order is having trouble keeping track,' Martin offered with not a hint of inflection to suggest she'd made that dig intentionally despite the evidence that stated otherwise.

If he were one to lose control, Snape would have chosen that moment to snort in amusement. He was a stone, therefore he did nothing more than divert his attention temporally to a portrait of an old headmistress who was doing a much worse job of hiding her amusement, if the way she had fallen out of her chair in silent giggles was any indication.

'You are a very unique woman, Alexandria,' Dumbledore replied evenly, refusing to react in any way to her comment. 'Am I to understand that along with this list of Order members you would be able to put together a list of this new group in sufficient time for us to prevent them from taking more drastic action?'

Martin made a slight face as though thinking over the question. Lying, takes time and patience, funnily enough suppressing laughter seemed to take about the same amount of concentration. She felt terrible that behind her stoic facade she was ridiculing a man that in his prime, and she tried not to think of that as his defeat of Grindelwald, had been a genius.

'It would be harder,' she informed him honestly. 'Those who have come into contact with members of this new group don't generally live that long.'

An understatement really but those who did survive were hardly going to out their attackers because that raised all sorts of questions about why they would be attacked in the first place.

'You are reasonably confident you could create a list for me? Or at the very least a single name with which to begin?'

Dumbledore's question put her in two minds. The thought of handing him the name of one of their lesser members just to hold him over was tempting but if they were to continue to be affective in whatever role they performed anonymity was essential. And just because she could compile a list that didn't mean she wanted to or that she would for that matter. Coming off a hormone explosion could have its uses, she could blame childbirth for what she was about to do should it backfire.

'No offense, Albus,' Martin began, putting all of her age and experience behind her words for just a moment, 'but any names I did uncover would remain with me. Your Order has yet to convince me that you are truly what the wizarding world needs to win this war.'

At that McGonagall sucked in a sharp breathe. She liked to think of herself as one of Dumbledore's closest friends but even she would never voice thoughts like that in such a direct manner. Her respect for him did not put her above the notice of some of his more questionable decision, however. Decisions that put Harry in an awkward and often perilous position or that forced Sirius to hide away not using his gifts to help. She had a list of many others that on their own meant very little but once lumped together created a picture she did not want to look at or comprehend.

'The Order has worked tirelessly over the past few months to gain what followers we can and plan what contingencies are necessary.'

'You're the Light Lord gathering Life Preservers to do your bidding in the name of a good that you mandate,' Martin contradicted bluntly causing even Snape to break his silence with a mild cough.

The words hit Dumbledore like a slap in the face or, and this is probably a more accurate description of that sudden wave of cold shock that overwhelmed him, like a bludgeoning hex that just knocked his nose out the back of his head. He reeled back in his chair while McGonagall clasped a hand over her mouth in shock and every portrait in the room turned its attention on the headmaster all waiting for his reaction.

Dumbledore quite suddenly found his age catching up with him. The sudden slump of his shoulders and the withdrawal of the ever present twinkle in his eyes dulled them to a lifeless blue. He felt wary, done with the fight, as though everything he was fighting to achieve had been for naught. Was that really how he was seen? Was he losing so much of his grasp on the people around him that he was seen more as an unnecessary dictator of right and wrong and not the warrior of good and light he had always been perceived as before?

'And this new group is so different?' Dumbledore asked in a near broken whisper.

'No,' Martin answered honestly. 'Not so much. There are shades of differences, choices shared, options given. From their actions the one difference is the grey, the actions they take have finality they are not temporary measures like those taken by the Order.'

'You speak of death and killing.'

It was Snape who responded to Dumbledore's soft spoken and disdainful words. He was a man buried in darkness, once Voldemort was gone there was little chance he could be redeemed but he could try and explain a little of that darkness to Dumbledore. 'It is necessary in this case to fight death with death.'

McGonagall, not liking the direction the conversation had taken but unable to stand by and say nothing any longer added her own words to those spoken by Snape. 'Voldemort can only take so much loss. His faithful inner circle will stand with him but the more death handed out to his followers the fewer there will be to replace them. Fear is the best deterrent.'

'You are suggesting the fear of punishment by this unknown group will deter some on the weakest of the magical community from joining _him_?'

'No,' Martin shook her head. 'It won't deter them, Voldemort will continue to sway followers but they will be weaker, more afraid. They'll make mistakes.'

The trio left Dumbledore to mull over their words and opinions but each of them knew it would be quite some time still before he truly took any of it to heart. It had been a blow, yes, when Martin had dubbed him the Light Lord but not enough of one that he would be unable to rally his beliefs around him like a protective cloak before morning. There was a long way to go before things changed and the ADADA would use every minute of it to their advantage.

'I need answers,' McGonagall announced as they walked away from the headmasters office.

'I know,' Martin agreed. 'But right this moment I just want to see my daughter. Come to the next ADADA meeting, Severus will tell you when and where.'

Martin left Snape to McGonagall's sharp stare and arrived back in her rooms to see Harry hurrying forward to stare down at a brand new hole in their floor.

'Why is there a hole in the floor?'


	50. Chapter 44

**a/n: **happily back into the swing of things so thank you all for your wonderful reviews and please enjoy this next chapter.

**Chapter 44**

'Are you aware there is a hole in the ceiling?'

Harry shot Hermione an amused look. She'd obviously been roused straight from her bed, no doubt in whatever creative and annoying way Peeves had come up with. Her hair was slightly tussled making it even more bushy than normal and she had on her dressing gown over her pyjamas. Still, sleepy and confused, she'd been aware enough of the room to point out the hole in the ceiling. Harry motioned her over to the area directly under the hole where Snape and Ally were kneeling over the book.

Hermione glanced at it over Ally's shoulder and frowned. 'This book did that?'

Harry had to admire the way she made all of the connections despite, like him, coming from a muggle background where this kind of thing could never have happened. He watched her study the hole, the remains of the display cabinet and the molten metal that had once been the gauntlet of some knight or other.

'It didn't do much more than burn the rug until Ally popped the bubble charm I had around it; the magical blowback sent it straight through the floor.'

'Just the one?'

Harry nodded, Snape had asked the same question when he'd arrived. He'd been curious to know whether it would soon build up enough magic to go through the next floor or if it had just been purely defensive. He'd spent a great deal of time asking questions of Ally because he'd given up even the idea Harry knew what he was talking about around the fourth one. Defensive spells he could do but when the question of details came up, when the questions were more along the lines of "how does it work" and not "how much damage will it do" he sort of lost interest. That was why he'd brought in Hermione, after years of dumbing it down she'd be able to both explain what was being said and get in on the questioning.

'All right, let's see what we've got.'

Rolling up her sleeves and pulling out her wand, Hermione motioned for Ally to move and took her place, falling effortlessly into a ream of questions that had Snape's lip twitching in pride. Almost.

'Merlin, I haven't had to think like that in years. I think being an Auror is making me forget everything I used to know.'

Harry grinned. 'Just don't tell Ruby, she'll never let you live it down.'

She glared at him but didn't bother to say anything more. Together Harry and Ally stood back and let the experts they had at Hogwarts do their thing. Occasionally he would hear a word or two he recognised but nothing that gave him any idea if Hermione or Snape had figured out if the book was safe. He'd have to have a word with Tonks about warning them next time when a book did something like that.

What felt like hours later, Snape straightened up and made a strange jerking motion with his wand. A blue light encompasses the book and it began to quiver slightly. After a few moments the quivering stopped and the book lay motionless. Hermione reached down and picked it up with no adverse affects. Smiling triumphantly she patted the front cover of the book like one might pat a favourite pet that had just done something good. Harry tried not to laugh at that.

'You will have to keep it in a case that will reflect magic,' Snape informed them. 'The pages appear to be charmed to absorb magic and Hogwarts is teeming with it.'

Ally waved a tired hand in thanks and turned to make the trek back up to her room. Snape repaired the hole in the roof with a single flick of his wand and swept out of the room without a word. Hermione looked unsure of herself but mostly she looked dead on her feet.

'Go back to bed, Hermione,' he instructed. 'I'll put the book in the library and spell one of the cases you had brought in.'

Hermione hesitated, almost unwilling to part with the book. Harry thought it must be some book to have her almost glued to it. Eventually she handed it over and headed back to Gryffindor tower. The book was warm to the touch, no doubt soaking up small amounts of background magic despite Snape's spell. He found an empty display case at the back of Ally's library, though really it was his now too and he should probably get used to that. The spell was simple enough and soon the book was locked away and Harry was free to get some sleep. He just hoped _Magic in Death_ was as promising as it sounded.

Not two minutes after his head hit the pillow Molly started to cry.

Understandable, Harry looked like Death the next morning. He almost melted into an armchair by the fire in the Gryffindor common room and didn't even bother to pretend he was aware of Hermione as she asked him questions. The combination of parenthood, Quidditch, schoolwork and the fight against Voldemort had Harry so run down he was considering checking himself into the hospital Wing and finally allowing Madam Pomfrey to run all of her tests just so that he could have a good days rest. Every time he tried to move though his legs turned to jelly and he sank further back into the armchair.

Ginny wandered on into the common room some ten minutes after Hermione had abandoned him for her breakfast. She took one look at Harry and knew immediately that he wasn't going to be good for anything. She sent Ron off to class with excuses for Harry and had Fred and George drag him upstairs to his little used bed in the fifth year dormitory. He mumbled something that might have been a thank you but also could have been something about bananas and fell asleep. She dragged the covers over him and went in search of Ally.

'You look horrible,' Ginny murmured, having let herself into Ally's rooms and then followed the sound of screaming baby until she'd found Ally trying to calm Molly in the bathroom.

'I didn't get any sleep last night,' Ally grumbled the obvious. 'Harry was having nightmares and Molly isn't old enough to understand how to block that kind of emotion yet.'

Ginny winced, imagining the kind of feelings Harry would be unconsciously pushing through their bond while asleep. The tired eyes and unsteady motion Ally made as she walked back and forth trying to calm Molly showed that even though she could block it out for the most part she wasn't unaffected by Harry's connection to Voldemort either.

'Anything we should know?'

'No, not much has changed. He's up to something, though no one can seem to find out what. Snape's been given dark objects to study and get working again and a list of potions a mile long he needs to make but nothing out of the ordinary. We will have to put off the Ministry until after Christmas though.'

That, Ginny knew, would cause some problems for Harry but there was little they could do about it. If the information wasn't ready, if people still hadn't quite moved into place, there was nothing they could do. Making a move on the Ministry was a delicate business and if they wanted it to work in their favour they were just going to have to wait.

'Do you have many classes today?'

Ally shook her head and adjusted Molly so she could feed. 'I asked Madam Pomfrey if she would run my classes through some more detailed first aid, Professor Dumbledore said he would sit in on the classes to keep things in order.'

'That was nice of him.'

'Yeah.'

Ginny looked around and came to a decision. 'Right. Back to bed with you, I'll have Tilly bring you some breakfast and she can help you look after Molly. I'll get Daphne to help me and before the day is over we'll have all of this,' she motioned to a pile of essays and work that needed marking, 'done by dinner.'

Ally smiled. 'Thanks, Gin, that'll give me time to start planning the next tournament.'

'The what?'

Ally just smiled and wandered back into her bedroom.

'What tournament?' she demanded but Ally was keeping her lips tightly sealed.

**

* * *

**

Harry awoke from his nap minutes before the lunch bell rang. Feeling better than he had in days, possibly weeks, he dressed in clean clothes and wandered down to meet his friends for lunch. He didn't actually make it further that the third floor before he walked into a conversation that had him freezing in his tracks.

'Do you reckon she's married?' a seventh year Ravenclaw girl was asking her friends.

Another, this one a boy, snorted. 'She hasn't mentioned him.'

'It's not like we've asked, maybe he died or something.'

'Doubt it,' a third voice, a boy again, said. 'Looking the way she does? She probably just shagged a bunch of men. Martin probably doesn't even know who the father is.'

While the two boys laughed, the girl frowned in disapproval; it was probably the only thing that saved her from what happened next. Harry spun around and pinned both boys against the wall. One hand gripping each by the neck and holding them so their toes just scraped the floor. They struggled against him, fingernails digging into his arms and wrists as they struggled to gain enough wiggle room to breathe. Their friend tried to help them but she could do little more than tug uselessly on Harry's sleeve.

His hands burst into flames and the boys started screaming. Harry still hadn't spoken a word. Around him, students heading to lunch stopped to watch, others fled in search of a teacher. Harry tightened his grip and shoved them harder against the wall. Their friend gave up trying to help and fell to the floor in a heap behind Harry, tears streaming down her face. The boys were quickly turning blue, their mouths opening and closing as they gasped desperately for air and freedom.

'Say it again,' he growled. 'I dare you.'

'Mister Potter!'

McGonagall's sharp voice snapped through Harry and his grip automatically loosened as he turned his head to look at her. He still didn't let the boys go but they were beginning to regain some of their colour even if it was just a nasty shade of purple.

'Release them at once!'

Harry growled and let them go but not before slamming their heads back against the stone behind them. They slummed unconscious to the ground and Harry stepped carelessly over their sprawled legs.

'Give them detention when they wake, please, for disrespecting a teacher.'

McGonagall's sharp look softened slightly, though she still looked ready to kill. She may not have been to an ADADA meeting yet and may not have all the facts but she'd seen and heard enough of the remarks that were being said about Professor Martin to know that Harry had reason to take offence. That didn't prevent her from being nasty and giving him detention though.

'Detention, every night this week,' she snapped at him. 'With Dumbledore.'

Final blow nicely delivered (she could be evil if the occasion rose) she sent the gathered students on their way and begin the task of transferring the two unconscious boys to the Hospital Wing. Harry stomped the rest of the way to lunch in a foul mood. Those unfortunate enough not to have heard about the incident yet, like the group of Slytherin preparing for the upcoming match with a little Gryffindor baiting, experienced little in the way of pain before waking the following evening in the Hospital Wing. Harry would get another three weeks detention for similar actions before the week was up and the day of the match arrived.

'What happened to you?' George was the first to ask, when he slumped into an empty spot at the Gryffindor table. Everyone else had been a little intimidated by the invisible thundercloud hanging over his head that threatened to kill anyone who interrupted his suddenly foul mood.

'I had a run in with a couple of Ravenclaws and a group of Slytherins.'

'Is everyone still alive?' the question came from Fred and was largely covered by Hermione's horrified gasp.

'Unfortunately.'

'They probably deserved it,' George replied rather diplomatically. He also silenced Hermione who looked about to protest with one of his stealthiest silencing charms ever.

Harry, busy looking around the still mostly empty hall, didn't even notice until he was brought back to reality by the sight of a very large and hairy figure sitting at the staff table. Horrified, Harry turned to Hermione.

'Have I been going to Care of Magical Creatures?' he asked in alarm.

She started to answer but couldn't. She gave George a sharp glare and after he gave her a winning smile he removed the silencing charm.

'I'd thought so,' she said primly. 'Apparently your mind was otherwise occupied. Why ever did you think you hadn't?'

'Because Hagrid's back!'

Hermione turned delighted, if not slightly calculating, eyes on the staff table and grinned. 'How on earth did we miss him?'

'It's not like he blends in,' George agreed.

'Think you should bring him tonight with McGonagall?' murmured Fred.

Harry's smile wilted slightly and Hermione turned her keen eyes on him, waiting to hear what he had to say. She'd been trying for months to get in and Hagrid managed it in one day?

'Nah,' Harry dismissed the idea. 'He would never lie to Dumbledore about something so big, especially if he thought I was in danger.'

'You _are_ in danger,' Hermione couldn't help but point out.

'Thank you, Hermione; I'm perfectly aware of that. I just can't afford people trusting Dumbledore's judgement over mine when it comes to this. I need to be giving the orders, I can't have them undermined by people who doubt my capability and report everything back to Dumbledore.'

Hermione clenched her jaw, aware that half of what Harry said could be applied to her as well. She couldn't know that had been his intention. He was trying to nudge her in the right direction because he was honestly tired of lying to her. _After Christmas_, he told himself, _she'll be ready by then_.

'Still, I think we should go visit him after dinner.'

The group that went down to visit Hagrid was very different from the one he would be expecting. Instead of the trio of friends he'd known since first year he was getting a mix that included Ginny, excluded Ron and, for reasons no one had quite yet figured, included Daphne and Emmy.

'Well this isn't suspicious at all,' Hermione snarked.

'Relax, Hermione,' Ginny called ahead, she was walking behind the original duo, her arm linked through Daphne's. 'He'll be delighted to see us.'

'Delighted?' Emmy laughed, linking her arm through Ginny's free arm.

'Shove off; it's a perfectly normal word!'

'Yeah,' she laughed. 'But delighted?'

Ginny stuck out her foot and tripped Emmy, who stumbled slightly but recovered quick enough to stick her tongue out at her friend. Hermione, who had seen the whole exchange, marvelled at the fact that these were the people Harry trusted to help him bring down Voldemort.

'We're doomed,' she concluded aloud.

'What?'

'Never mind.'

Harry frowned but reached forward and knocked on Hagrid's front door. There was the usual sound of a half giant battling with an overeager giant dog and then the door was tugged inward.

'Harry!' Hagrid beamed down at him and Harry couldn't help but smile in return. 'Come in, come in.'

The mismatched group tramped in and took seats on various overgrown objects. Those who had never seen the inside of Hagrid's cabin before looked around with interest. Ginny made sure to warn them not to eat anything he offered. She'd swear to anyone who asked she'd lost her last baby tooth in one of Hagrid's scones.

'Don't think I've seen you two around before,' Hagrid smiled at Daphne and Emmy.

Harry grinned. 'This is Emmy James; she's a sixth year and part of Professor Martin's ADADA.'

Emmy smiled at him but Ginny was practically bursting to introduce Daphne so she didn't get a chance to say anything.

'And this is Ron's girlfriend Daphne Greengrass.'

They couldn't be sure; Hagrid's hair did take up a large portion of his face, but for just a moment it looked like Hagrid had cast a surprised look in Hermione's direction. Hermione chose to ignore the look she knew was directed her way and everyone else rolled their eyes.

'So tell me about this advanced defence group.'

'Oh, that's not exciting,' Harry brushed aside the topic; there were far more important things to talk about. 'Tell us about the giants.'

Hagrid knocked over the tea cup he'd just been filling, spilling tea across the tablecloth. His eyes darted quickly between them, lingering slightly longer on Emmy and Daphne. He wasn't a stranger to Harry and Hermione's determined way of finding out every little bit of information they felt they were entitled to know. That didn't mean he was going to make it easy for them or that he'd willingly do it in front of virtual strangers. Ginny was one thing but an unknown Slytherin was another entirely.

'Don't worry about them,' Ginny placated the gentle half-giant. 'There isn't a thing going on in the castle those two don't know about. I'm positive they know more than Dumbledore.'

A collective snort, even one from Hermione, was the response to that statement. Hagrid looked around at the mix of students in confusion, well aware he was missing some vital piece of information. He hadn't been home long enough for Dumbledore to bother cornering him for information. He could be sure, though, that he would get a visit first thing in the morning from a curious Dumbledore.

With a last uncertain look Hagrid began his tale.


	51. Chapter 45

**a/n:** giddiness is over 1500 reviews. i would thank each and every one of you right here if i didn't think the list would end up longer than the chapter. thank you, thank you and thank you for the wonderful reviews. i hope you enjoy this chapter, i loved it. as always your thoughts and views and greatly appreciated.

**Chapter 45**

The reason Ron hadn't joined his friends in visiting Hagrid was quite simple. The ADADA had outgrown the classroom they were using and he and the twins were using the time to knock out a few walls—magically of course. Given that the corridor where there classroom was located was rarely used they had a decent bit of space to work with. Knocking out a few walls connected three classrooms, one on either side of the corridor and the one at the end they had been using up until then. It gave them a U shaped space to work with and it took a good part of two hours and half the ADADA members to get it all sorted before McGonagall was due to arrive.

The map of Britain stayed where it was and the new map of Europe was added onto the wall beside it. It was smaller in scale so the map of Britain took up the left side of the wall while the one of Europe and Hogwarts shared the right hand side with detailed maps of Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. The map of Europe went on top, the one of Hogwarts on the bottom and the maps of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley shared the space in between. There was also a list of ADADA members (students of Hogwarts only) attached to the bottom left hand corner acting as a key to determine which colour represented which student.

They removed the doors from the two classrooms along the corridor, giving them just the one door in and walled the spaces wards were added to the single door with a list of people who were allowed entrance and a secondary list of people who could enter if accompanied by a member. The original classroom was left as an open space for training purposes and Steven cast an odd spell he'd found that made the floor softer and almost rubbery to the touch. The portion of a tower that the twins' lab occupied was left as it was for the safety of everyone.

The two new classrooms were converted into workspaces, with a sizable desk for each of the ADADA members. The idea of putting in a few cubicles was bandied about but ultimately shot down. Instead they used waist high book cases to create individual spaces. They looked rather bare but it wouldn't be long before each desk took on the characteristics of its owner. Luna already had a small glass fishbowl on her desk that contained a single small goldfish she'd named, for reasons unknown, Anthony.

Most of the time was spent moving peoples belongings to their respective desks. Harry, Daphne, Emmy, Abby and Ron got one of the classrooms while Jesse, Steven, Luna, Ginny and Susan got the other. Stephanie was given free reign of Harry's desk as he spent very little time sitting and they didn't quite have the room for another. A notion proved to be a good idea when they finished moving everything and found Stephanie had twice as many notes and papers as Harry did. Being in charge seemed to leave him surprisingly paper free while needing to be up on everything Ron was doing gave Stephanie a small forest.

They also finally got around to moving the trunk that contained the Martin Library into the main room. It had more wards placed on it than Hogwarts itself probably had but there was a lot of sensitive information in that place and a lot that could cause great harm. They put the trunk in the back corner of the main room to the side of a soft couch and cradle they had moved for Ally's comfort. Bizarrely, the not-so-little-any-longer room took on the feeling of a well loved work space. It would certainly be well frequented.

**

* * *

**

Professor McGonagall would not admit to the fact that until the moment Professor Snape knocked on her office door she'd been tapping her fingers nervously on her desk. She didn't bother to invite him in, preferring to walk out and meet him in the corridor. Though she was doing her best, she wasn't quite managing to appear in no way eager. Snape wisely didn't mention it but he saw the signs and wasn't a little irked that Harry Potter had somehow gathered such influence as to make McGonagall twitchy with need to find out what was going on. Calm facade she did not possess.

'Do you know much of what they're doing?' she questioned Snape as he guided her along corridors and staircases to the ADADA room.

'I think you can be certain only Potter and Martin know the full extent of their actions.'

That didn't give her any comfort. The idea that the best chance of resistance the wizarding world had was a fifteen year old boy and his who-knew-how-old DADA professor was not comforting in the slightest. What was alarmingly comforting was the site that greeted her when Snape opened the door and gestured her inside the three rooms the ADADA had commandeered. She tried not to let her mouth drop open.

They were prepared. That much was glaringly obvious from the moment she stepped inside. These weren't the disorganised students she expected to see. They weren't playing at being adults in a game far too big for them. They were adults, fighting on equal standing and far better prepared than the Order frequently seemed to be. And that was what she could glean from a first look. Abby and Emmy were training on a mat in the middle of the room, dancing back and forth with well practiced ease. As she watched Emmy pinned Abby to the mat but she didn't stay down long, performing a difficult twist and bringing Emmy down as well.

Ron stood in front of a large map of Hogwarts gesticulating wildly to Stephanie who stepped forward every now and then to tap a certain place on the map with her wand. One such tap set the map an ugly green colour and she shook her head, clearing the map of dots and arguing with Ron. McGonagall couldn't hear the words being spoken and she didn't know what exactly they were doing but she got the impression it wasn't just a simple squabble.

Behind her and to the left Luna and Steven were bent over a mess of papers discussing possible translations of several different languages and texts at once. Luna was constantly writing down possible translations and crossing them out while the two bounced ideas back and forth. McGonagall knew just enough to recognise one series of texts as a very old form of the runic alphabet. Anything more than that was beyond her level of expertise.

Behind the duo, Susan was sitting behind a desk working steadily through a huge stack of papers in an in-tray. Every now and then an owl would swoop in through the window and deposit another envelope on her desk. Occasionally, small owl stuffed toys would burst into existence with a puff of feathers and drop yet more paperwork on her desk. She never once complained and, though she frowned in annoyance over one or two things, she went at her work with the kind of focus you'd only expect of an accountant looking for that missing three million.

Jesse was sitting on the floor in the aisle between his desk and Steven's sorting through packages that bore the insignia of a number of shops in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. As she watched he stood and began to distribute the packages to certain desks. He wandered passed and offered her a small smile in greeting and she followed him with her eyes as he left the classroom on the left and moved to that on the right.

Harry was sitting at one of the desks, peering down at an object on his desk through a magnifying glass. Fred and George stood on either side of him also holding magnifying glasses and looking at the object. Whatever it was, to McGonagall it looked like nothing more than an ordinary gobstone but she wouldn't put it passed the Weasley twins to have turned an innocent children's game into something nasty. They had, of course, she just wouldn't find out how nasty until after Christmas.

It was Daphne who actually approached her, as everyone else seemed to be deeply involved in whatever task they were doing. Martin was conspicuously absent.

'Hello Professor McGonagall, welcome to the ADADA.'

Words failed her and all she could do was flashback to the last Order meeting. To a dingy kitchen in a house protected by a Fidelius Charm and nine people all waiting impatiently for their leader to arrive. They'd spent thirty precious minutes of Order time discussing the complete lack of progress being made and a further ten discussing the very group she now found herself observing. She could see clearly in her mind a group so secretive that it was almost damaging to their ability to make progress. A leader determined to win a war with patience and understanding. A leader adamant that love could concur all.

Then she looked around at the students before her. At the obvious signs of plans being made, objects being studied and actions being taken. She looked at the wall of maps, at the coloured dots on them and the key that denoted a certain one to the location of a fallen Azkaban. She remembered the anger of a young man who had scolded his failed mentor for allowing so much to happen through inaction. She took in the wall of accomplishments, the map of article, names, places, that covered another wall.

And she knew.

Harry Potter would win this war and he would do it without Albus Dumbledore.

**

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**

If it were anyone else he might have cause to be jealous. As it was, Remus Lupin watched as Tonks ducked upstairs and into Sirius' bedroom with all the stealth of a clumsy elephant wearing tap shoes. It wasn't like she was making a point to hide all of the time she spent in there with him and it wasn't like she didn't have twelve years of family time to catch up on, there was just something about the way the lock snapped into place each time that set his teeth on edge.

They were most definitely up to something. Concerned that Sirius was going to get himself captured—whether by Ministry Aurors or Death Eaters at this point was inconsequential—and Tonks fired he decided to use some of his much abhorred werewolf abilities to spy on them. A subtle sniff now and again proved that Sirius was leaving Grimmauld Place regularly as only the outdoors could create just that combination of smoggy air and a myriad of other unpleasant things. With confirmation that he was at the least going out when he shouldn't Lupin resorted to tracking charms. He started with the simple ones parents often put on their wayward children and then moved up to the extra nasty ones used on Death Eaters when it turned out Sirius was checking for trackers and then disabling them.

He'd found every damn one so far and placing them on Tonks was pointless. She may have been a little clumsy but she could spot a tracking charm at ten yards. He'd tried every means of spying he could think of and was now down to his last resort. Tonight he would attempt to hear them talking using a pair of the twins wireless Extendable Ears. A product he'd had to purchase through their mail order business instead of just borrowing off Mrs Weasley who had confiscated almost the entire batch of the original version.

He'd planted one end in Sirius' room earlier and once he was sure Tonks was in there behind a locked and heavily spelled door, he placed the receiver in his ear.

'—late,' Sirius was saying.

'Would you hurry up, Padfoot,' Tonks reprimanded

'Don't get your knickers in a twist; I'm not going to miss the damn portkey.'

'You did last week.'

'That was your fault!'

'Was not,' Tonks retorted, sounding incredibly childish in that one moment.

'Was too,' Sirius insisted. 'I distinctly remember having to lunge and grab you at the last minute.'

'I dropped the file!'

Remus rolled his eyes, wondering at the fact that two grown adults were squabbling like children. Given the age gap between the two it was unlikely they'd argued like this while Tonks was growing up. Not that he'd put it passed his friend, Sirius had always been a little childlike in his behaviour. He just couldn't remember Sirius ever spending that much time with his much younger relative or her mother for that matter.

'You're fault then!' Sirius concluded triumphantly.

'You dropped the portkey.'

Remus could almost hear Sirius roll his eyes as he said, 'Because I thought catching you was a little more important.'

'I don't like liking you.'

Sirius' bark like laugh filled the room and, had the twins finally perfected their Extendable Eyes, Remus would have witnessed Sirius giving his favourite family member (by a very, very long margin) an amused hug. Then all sound cut out, Sirius' laugh mid bark, and Remus had to assume they'd left by one of the portkeys they'd been discussing.

On the one hand Remus was happy for his friend, he'd never had much family and he deserved to get to know what little of it was both alive and decent. On the other hand, he was really curious, was unlikely to get any answers and just about ready to tie them both to a chair to question them. With no further chance of getting answers, Remus wandered back down to the kitchen where he found Bill and Arthur Weasley playing a game of cards with Kingsley Shacklebott. He joined the fun and tried not to think on what dangerous misadventure his wayward friends were involved in.

**

* * *

**

Sirius was still laughing when the portkey deposited them both on the mat in the middle of the room. Abby and Emmy were forced to leap aside at the last moment to avoid getting squished. Sirius looked around and the first person he spotted (after helping Abby to her feet and remarking that a different arrival location was becoming necessary) was McGonagall.

'Minnie!' he called out in delight. 'Fancy seeing you here.'

Her lips pursed at the nickname and she would have scolded him if Tonks hadn't walloped him across the back of the head just moments before he was flattened by an incoming Ruby. Sirius gazed up from his position, said position being his head currently stuck between Ruby's knees, and grinned cheekily.

'Evening, luv.'

Rather than being annoyed, Ruby just laughed. 'Hello Sirius.'

'Help a man out?'

'My fiancé might get ideas.'

'Let him,' he joked with a roguish wink.

'Ugh,' Harry groaned announcing his presence as he moved forward to separate his godfather and his girlfriend's—Mate's? Wife's?—best friend. 'Flirt later, I've got Charlie coming in from Romania in thirty seconds and he'll flatten the both of you.'

Ruby rose fluidly to her feet and hauled Sirius up. She spent a little more time "dusting" him off than was strictly necessary (completely missing Charlie's arrival) and then glanced around.

'Where's Als?' she questioned at the same time Sirius questioned Ginny's whereabouts.

They glanced at each other and Harry covered his eyes with one hand and made a disgusted noise half way between a grunt and the sound one makes while choking down vomit. 'Did they just poke their tongues out?' he asked Tonks from behind his hand.

'Yeah,' answered the Auror who sounded just as revolted. 'I'll just put them in separate rooms.'

Harry nodded gratefully and gave it a good minute before removing his hand. He looked around and smiled at McGonagall who was looking almost amused, in a way that suggested, like most people, she'd just had the absolutely terrifying thought of what Ruby Reid and Sirius Black could get up to were that left alone for too long.

'You don't let them near Fred and George, do you?'

'Merlin no,' Harry assured her. 'We'd lose the castle in half a minute.'

McGonagall exhaled sharply at that little miracle and was suddenly all business again. 'Right then, Mister Potter, tell me about the ADADA.'

Matching her all business tone he directed everyone back to their original tasks and started to give her the small spiel he'd secretly been planning earlier. Snape drifted away from them in the direction of the twins' lab and slipped inside—not before knocking and casting a shield charm around him.

'We're everything the Order of the Phoenix isn't,' was how Harry began. 'We're well trained, highly active and we're not afraid to get our hands dirty. Between us we've eliminated the threat posed by no less than forty one Death Eaters in the last four months. Each person working within the ADADA has a set task or area they specialise in and they in turn coordinate with people outside of Hogwarts in that same field.

'Ron knows the layout of this castle like the back of his hand and can have the entire student body ready to defend it in less than twenty minutes. Daphne can tell you anything you need to know about every student within this school, who they have ties to, whether they can they be trusted. Susan is our liaison to the Ministry, Abby and Emmy can track Death Eaters with the best of them and Luna points them in the right direction. Jesse can get you anything you want and Steven can tell you which students need to be placed where to maximise the potential of a student army.

'We know what we're doing and we're doing it well. I know you're not here to stop us but I also know that you're not here to let us continue either. You need to make a choice; are you against Voldemort? What we are doing here is not acting against Dumbledore, its acting where he won't or can't. We're not hiding what we're about; we've made no secret of where we stand. There are a great number of people within the Ministry who have been shown numerous accounts, the various types of proof Dumbledore was too afraid to assemble. We've got their backing, Professor, do we have yours?'

Silence fell over the room, every member of the ADADA having been attuned to Harry's words. They'd continue with or without McGonagall's support but they wanted it. Either way they needed an answer. Would she join them? Would she rat them out to Dumbledore or would she refrain from making a judgement and remain in the background pretending she knew nothing of what went on outside of what the Order could discover. She took in the determined stance of the ADADA students, the way a highly trained Auror, one of the Ministry's best Unspeakables and an escape convict with plenty of reason to hide, stood tall beside those students and slightly charred dragon keeper. She saw the way Snape aligned himself with the Weasley twins and it was that, ultimately that made her decision.

'You have it.'


	52. Chapter 46

**a/n: **i can't believe how long its been since i've updated but i also can't be sorry. Over the last month i've written a great deal for my original story and i'm a little proud. Plus easter was a total bitch to work. You'd have thought the world was ending the way people were buying groceries. Anyway, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed or showed renewed interest in this fic. Hope this chapter was worth the wait.

**Chapter 46**

There was a spider crawling up his right arm. He'd been watching its progress ever since it decided his wand looked like an interesting place to start its acrobatic performance. Six really hairy legs had since moved up the length of his wand, trailed casually over his fingers and made its way up his arm. It stopped for a bit of sightseeing around his elbow and sort of curled up as it took in the new and wonderfully warm world beneath it. Once it got bored, migration further north seemed acceptable and its current perch was right below his ear. Every time he breathed in a little hairy black leg brushed against the side of his neck.

He knew his limits and he wasn't afraid to admit it. He was three seconds away from screaming like a little girl. He closed his eyes and suppressed a whimper. Being able to hold in any sound of protest was at the moment the difference between a traumatised living and the long and excruciating Death by Voldemort. He couldn't see what was going on ahead of him; it's very hard to see anything through eyes screwed shut. He certainly couldn't hear anything over the pounding of his own blood in his ears. His heart was beating faster than it would have if he'd be facing three Death Eaters and his mother wielding a lethal looking broom.

There was nothing but the damp grass beneath him and the far too friendly great big hairy black spider setting up camp between his ear and shoulder. It was hard to care that he'd just laid his very own eyes on a restored Voldemort for the first time. He could guarantee that when he got back to Hogwarts the first story anyone heard would be about the huge freaky spider. He kept up an inner mantra constantly reminding himself that soon he would be able to move. Really, really soon he hoped.

There was a slight shift of motion to his left and the feel of a warm body pressed against his back. Small hands reached down and suddenly he was free. He barely waited for the weight to lift off his back before he was up and shuddering, dancing on the spot in complete disgust. Daphne smiled at him with her hands cupped around the hairy offender. She turned and deposited the spider in a nearby hedge and Ron took the time to get some more shivers out of his system.

'You're so manly,' Daphne informed him with a grin.

'Gah,' was all he could say in response, he could feel the ghost of little legs still working their way up his arm.

Daphne moved closer, replacing the feel of creepy arachnid legs with the feel of her hand gradually moving up his arm. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body nice and close. Hairy spider legs were becoming a distant and thankfully hazy memory. Still, even Daphne couldn't erase some memories.

'I need to shower.'

'Maybe I'll join you?'

Then again...

They made the trip back to Hogsmeade quickly, Apparating directly into the basement of Honeydukes rather than enjoying a slight evening stroll through the snowy village. Any plans they had for a shared shower vanished when they dropped down into the secret tunnel and almost tripped over an unconscious and heavily bleeding woman. Ron bumped his head against the ceiling when he stumbled and he let out a curse as Daphne crouched to get a good look at the woman.

'Merlin,' Daphne gasped. 'It's Bianca Days.'

'The reporter for the _Daily Prophet_?' Ron questioned, rubbing his head and crouching beside Daphne.

Days had a large greenish purple bruise on her left temple, a black eye and a split lip. There was dried blood and dirt all over her face and down her neck. She had several bite marks and scratches along her neck and shoulders and her clothes were filthy and torn. In the dim light of the tunnel they could see a dark stain across her stomach and when Daphne touched it lightly it was warm and wet. She was bleeding heavily from more cuts and stabs wounds along her legs and her right hand was broken badly.

'This is bad,' Daphne muttered.

Ron was already sending the emergency signal back along the tunnel before Daphne's words even hit his ears. He knew they couldn't afford to wait for Madam Pomfrey, not with the way Days looked and not with how long the tunnel was. They were going to have to move her and he knew from the way Daphne had straightened determinedly that she saw it too. Without speaking, Daphne conjured a stretcher and they eased her onto it. Ron lit the way with his wand and they took off running down the tunnel as fast as they dared.

They were three quarters of the way there when they met Madam Pomfrey sprinting toward them, bag full of supplies clutched tightly in her hand. She took one look at Days and ordered them not to stop. She ran alongside the stretcher casting diagnostic spells and one that would put pressure on the bigger wounds to hopefully slow the bleeding. There was no way they could get her up out of the statue and while they paused at the bottom Madam Pomfrey took another look.

'It's no good,' she cautioned. 'She needs a trauma healer from St Mungo's.'

'Then I'll get her one,' Harry said from behind them, surprising them slightly. He grabbed Pomfrey with one hand and the dying Days with the other and transported them instantly to the Hospital Wing. Ron and Daphne latched onto an elbow and caught a lift.

'Go!' Pomfrey ordered sharply.

Harry didn't need telling twice he flamed away the instant Ron and Daphne had released their grip.

'Not the way I thought tonight was going to go,' Ron observed.

Daphne smacked his arm lightly and went to help Madam Pomfrey.

**

* * *

**

When Hermione arrived at the breakfast table the next morning she knew that something big had happened. She'd gotten used to coming down to breakfast and seeing the whole ADADA seated around one end of the Gryffindor table but today things were different. Harry was missing, for one thing. His usual place at the centre of the ADADA circus had been filled by Ron.

What really made them stand out amongst the sea of black robed Hogwarts students was their muggle dress. Each and every member of the ADADA were dressed like she had seen when they were about to leave for a fight or some Death Eater tracking. They were drawing lots of weird looks from the other students but they didn't seem to notice. They were all deep in conversation and only occasionally did they look up in response to something said by a fellow housemate.

Hermione shot a look up at the staff table as she made her way toward her friends. Snape and Dumbledore were missing but both Martin and McGonagall were seated up there. Their heads were bent together and they were talking in frantic whispers. It didn't give her the greatest feeling in the world. The last time Hermione had seen the ADADA members like this they'd been about to crash a Death Eater party.

She slipped into an open seat beside Steven and asked him what was going on.

'Bianca Days turned up last night,' he told her in a whisper. 'We're raiding the house she escaped from.'

'Bianca Days? The _Daily Prophet_ reporter?'

Steven nodded. 'Ron and Daphne found her in the Hogsmeade tunnel last night. She nearly died; Harry had to bring in a trauma witch from St Mungo's.'

Hermione gasped in horror and her eyes snapped to Ron and Daphne. 'Will she be alright?'

Steven shrugged and dropped a spoonful of scrambled eggs on his plate. 'She's unconscious now; she came round last night just long enough to give us a location.'

'Is that where Harry is?' Hermione demanded, a little disgusted by the way he could eat as he spoke of such horrible things.

'Harry's not coming; he and Snape are providing a distraction.'

Dumbledore, Hermione realised. Harry was throwing himself to the wolves in order to give his ADADA time to go on the offensive and take out a Death Eater location. Determined not to let her friend down, Hermione straightened and gave Steven a strong look.

'How can I help?'

Steven smiled slightly. 'Stephanie's coming with us; we need all hands on this one. We have one of the house elves watching the tunnels but we need you to run things from the ADADA room.'

'I can do that.'

An hour later, having watched as each and every one of the ADADA members vanished from the map of Hogwarts and emerged onto the larger one of Britain she wasn't feeling nearly as confident. She'd seen Stephanie handle this with ease and she was damned if she was going to fail.

A puff of feathers exploded before her and she snatched the faux owl out of the air. The note attached to it said simply that they'd arrived.

'Here we go.'

**

* * *

**

The world around her exploded in a shower of mud and burning remains. Splinters of the farm house rained down on the members of the ADADA and the Death Eaters they were fighting. Thick black smoke merged with dark clouds to blot out the sun and provide an even gloomier feel to the current events. The air was thick with smoke and the pungent fumes of some potions caught in the explosion. Beside her Tonks was taking a moment to pick a charred splinter out of her fingerless gloves.

Another explosion blew the roof off the old farmhouse and screams filled the air. With a quick word to Tonks, Ally shot out from behind the well she'd been using for cover and darted toward the house. As the most fireproof person there she was the best one to enter the house and drag out the people held captive. She made it to the first of the porch steps when a sickly yellow spell caught her in the side. She didn't know what it was and she never got to find out. The moment the spell contacted with her side it exploded against a blue barrier.

Now she knew what she was getting the twins for Christmas. She could see a prime location in Diagon Alley needing their names on it. If they kept up the good work she was tempted to offer them her next born. One of their inventions had likely just saved her from being a splattered mess on the ground. Instead, she'd temporarily lost her balance and nothing more. It was a good thing she was so in love with Harry or she might have been tempted to throw herself at one or both of the twins.

Unfortunately, while the twins had mastered what could only be called shield knickers (wear them everywhere you go) they weren't much good against solid objects. An explosion inside the farmhouse blew the front door outward. It smashed straight into her and threw her off the rotting porch. She landed heavily on her back with what remained of the door weighing down on her. To most she would have looked like an easy target and there was no lying, it had hurt like hell. That didn't stop her from shoving the damn thing off and stomping onward into the house, perfectly confident the ADADA had her back. She shot a heavy duty banishing charm at the Death Eater who tried to exit through the now open door and didn't even flinch when he was blown apart and out of her path.

Scattered around the outside of the house, ADADA members and a select number of Ministry officials were battling to capture the Death Eaters. They knew what they were doing but they weren't able to get inside the house, not with it spewing out fireballs every minute or so. Fireballs like the one she had to duck as she tried to make it through the front door. Whatever the Death Eaters had been keeping in the house, aside from the captive witches and wizards, was highly flammable. It didn't particularly smell welcoming either, more like burnt cabbage and the occasional sweaty sock.

The first room she entered was missing an entire wall and a bit of the ceiling was caving in. The fireplace on one of the walls was the only thing in the room that was wholly intact which suggested that not all of the damage to the house was due to the attack. That probably should have been more surprising but Ally had met the type of Death Eater who Voldemort put in charge of these things. They never really screamed clean and tidy, more often than not they screamed scrambled out of the sewer.

A little more searching and she found a staircase leading down off the kitchen into a large basement. It was far too big to have come with the farmhouse and it still bore some of the signs of magical expansion.

She crept down the stairs slowly, wand held steadily in front of her. There was a crumpled form at the foot of the stairs and it was easy to see that one of the prisoners had lost their life trying to escape. The further she got the more bodies she found. A long wall was lined with small cells constructed of nothing more than stone and metal bars. Each cell, each cage really, contained another lifeless form. There were a dozen witches and wizards chained to the wall with heavy manacles and they were all dead.

Some looked to have died from wounds similar to those Bianca Days had been sporting when she arrived, others looked like they'd been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of the Killing Curse. Ally didn't know what was worse, to have had no chance at fighting back or to have experienced the pain that resulted in the opportunity of fighting back.

She made sure to check for survivors before she returned to the stairs. There was nothing more she could do for them but hand them and all of the evidence over to the right members of the Ministry who would eventually use it to the advantage of those fighting against Voldemort.

She turned her attention to saving the house and preserving the evidence. The ADADA would handle the Death Eaters and what they couldn't the Ministry people would.

**

* * *

**

Harry wasn't aware he'd been walking so stealthily until Hermione jumped a foot in the air and screamed. He didn't know whether to tell her off for being so girly in her reaction or to laugh. He went with scolding her slightly for reacting with a scream instead of a curse and then asked about the ADADAs progress.

'It's no good,' Hermione told him sadly. 'They were too late to save the others. Ally found twelve dead in the basement, she thinks the Death Eaters killed them when they realised Days escaped.'

'And the Death Eaters?'

Hermione pointed to a section of wall to which she'd pinned up copies of profiles Daphne had made while working with Abby and Emmy. There were eight Death Eater profiles pinned to the wall with purple pins and another six with black ones.

'Six dead and eight captured?'

'So far,' Hermione confirmed, though she sounded somewhat shocked that she was stating something so horrible so easily.

They stood in silence for some time merely watching the coloured dots on the map. Very little changed on that level but it was something to do. Harry didn't mind the silence but every few minutes Hermione would shift restlessly and he knew she wanted to fill the silence. Not that he should have been surprised, this was the first time in a while it had been just the two of them.

'Are we doing the right thing?'

He didn't answer immediately, taking his time to think about a truthful response that would give her the answer she both wanted and needed to hear. He wasn't completely done hiding from her but he wasn't about to miss an opportunity to give her more of a reason to trust him over Dumbledore.

'Yes, we're doing the right thing,' he told her eventually. 'I know that it doesn't seem right going out and attacking Death Eaters but I also know that Fudge will continue to let Voldemort get away with so much death.'

'Are we any different?'

Her words gave him pause, not just because she'd included herself in that statement but because she was questioning whether or not stopping Death Eaters made them like Voldemort. He couldn't go with the argument he'd given Ginny, Hermione didn't know enough or anything about what he was but he could give her a sensible answer.

'I've killed people, Hermione, more than any one person should have to but it doesn't make me like Voldemort or his Death Eaters. It doesn't make me the kind of person you think it does. I'm not a good man but I'm not bad either. I've done what has to be done so that people like you don't have to. I killed those Death Eaters so that people like Lydia don't have to.'

'Harry,' Hermione began but he interrupted.

'I don't need you feeling guilty for me,' he told her firmly. 'I don't regret a single life I've taken. I know this isn't what you want me to say, I know you want me to sit back and be the normal teenage wizard while Dumbledore handles Voldemort but I can't. I won't. This isn't what my parents would have wanted for me but it's who I've become. I like what I've become, Hermione, I'm at peace with it.'

Hermione's chin quivered and she bit her lip in an obvious attempt to avoid crying. He wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug.

'I'm just worried.'

'I know,' he acknowledged. 'I also know it's not just me you're worried about. He's killed too, I'm sorry it had to be that way but he made a choice. He looked at the facts as they were presented to him and he made the decision he could live with.'

A single tear spilled down her cheek and Harry knew there was one more thing he had to say before she could believe him.

'I don't expect you to do the same. That's not you, Hermione and I'll respect that, I'll be proud of you for finding other ways.'

She sniffled a little and smiled weakly at him. He squeezed her gently and went back to watching the map. He didn't remove his arm but he figured the conversation was over.

'Do you think that's why he likes her?'

Harry had to refrain from banging his head against a wall. How had she managed to turn concern over his moral wellbeing into a reason Ron had chosen Daphne? His reply was blithe and meant to set her at ease; unfortunately, as he wouldn't find out until Ginny later hit him, it did the exact opposite.

'She kills spiders.'


	53. Chapter 47

**a/n: **yay, another chapter and hardly a wait at all. hope this one is enjoyable enough, though it does have a lot of Dumbledore. please let me know your thoughts and above all enjoy.

**Chapter 47**

They were both lying flat on their backs staring up at the ceiling above their bed. There wasn't anything particularly fascinating about the ceiling but it was there and neither could be bothered moving. The only movement coming from the bed came from Molly who was lying between the, wrapped tightly in a blanket cacoon with her arms flailing about happily. Occasionally she gurgled.

'How'd your meeting with Dumbledore go?'

Ally's words were soft spoken but sounded loud in the dark room. They pulled Harry from his thoughts and he turned his head to look at her.

'I think I may have made things worse for me.'

'How so?' she frowned, turning to look at him.

'I may have given him the impression I was a lot darker than I am.'

Ally rolled her eyes at him in the exasperated way all women pull off when their significant other does something stupid. 'What did you do?'

'You remember that comment I made about brain matter being stuck in my boots?'

'Not really.'

Harry shrugged it off, her remembering wasn't particularly vital to this. 'Well, he's been viewing his memories of all of our encounters and today when I tried to distract him with my fake dream about Voldemort he pulled out all these incidents in which I "brushed death aside as though it was not an emotionally significant event".'

Ally snorted, if that was what Dumbledore truly thought then he didn't know Harry at all. She certainly wasn't going to be the one to enlighten him; she'd heard from Ginny how hard it had been to convince Hermione those first weeks. Dumbledore was eighty times more stubborn and a whole lot more self righteous.

'I'm not worried, though,' Harry murmured. 'I've got better things to do with my time than appease Dumbledore and his stupid concern for my morality.'

'Like finish the Christmas shopping?' her suggestion was light and an obvious attempt to change the subject but also something she actually wanted to know.

He gave her an affronted look which quickly turned sheepish under her sharp gaze. With Christmas just two weeks away he was running out of time to get everything sorted. He had his own gifts organised, the one he was giving Ally had been sitting in the bottom of Ginny's trunk for weeks. The joint gifts he and Ally were giving were another story. Ginny's gift had been relatively simple to organise as had Ron's. The twins were proving to be a little more difficult but Ally was confident it would be done before Christmas.

'I still haven't found the perfect gift for Ruby yet,' Harry reluctantly admitted.

'How hard can it be?' Buying gifts for Ruby had never been difficult for Ally so she was beginning to rethink the brilliance of putting Harry in charge.

'She keeps sending me gag gifts so it's taking me time to find the perfect retaliatory gift.'

'Oh, for Merlin's sake, I'll get Ruby's gift you deal with Fred and George's.'

'Alrighty.'

Ally frowned, she had the sudden feeling she'd just played right into Harry's plan. She wanted to thump him but couldn't quite find the energy. Everything she had in that moment was going into making sure Molly didn't wriggle off the bed.

'Are you ready for the next tournament?'

'I'm pretty sure I can handle whatever you're forced to throw at me for the sake of our work.'

'We're going to fight at the end.'

That brought him up short, he'd imagined he'd have to fight his way through all of the standing fifth years, sixth years and seventh years but he didn't imagine she'd want to put on a fight with him. It would just give Dumbledore more to think about, especially the way they fought sometimes.

'Oh.'

They fell once more into silence, Harry thinking over the coming tournament and what he would have to do to win it and not accidentally kill anyone. Ally's thoughts were fuzzy and sleep rushed to claim her. Her mind was blissfully blank and she was just on the verge of sleep when Harry's quiet voice startled her back from the brink.

'I don't understand him.'

'Who?' shaking her head to clear it, she turned slightly to look at him.

'Voldemort. What's his motivation? What's his purpose?'

She was too tired to think about such big things, actually she tried not to think about this ever because whenever she did she couldn't come up with an answer that didn't frighten her.

'There is no purpose,' she murmured. 'All he wants is power, a way to prove that he's better than all of those muggleborn's, than all of the muggles he grew up with.'

'That's just stupid.'

'Mhmm.'

He wasn't aware of it happening, never noticed the transition between awake and dreaming. Around him Death Eaters crouched at his feet, hands and knees pressed into the floor in a circle. Just as suddenly as the circle of Death Eaters appeared the scene around him changed. He was on a beach, then a cave, and then others moving faster, so fast that he couldn't quite grasp the changing scenery. It didn't matter that he couldn't see them, each one carried a heavy sick feeling he didn't like. He searched desperately for a way to get out but around him the world kept spinning and then there was a figure, a boy with a smile that sent chills down Harry's spine. He reached for his wand and—

--Harry leapt upright, startled from the nightmare by Molly's cries. Confused, his heart racing, he reached for his daughter with his hands flaming to give him light. She quietened the instant he picked her up and he got up from the bed and carried her into the other room.

He was surprised to see Ally sitting on the couch with her feet up. It was light outside even though, to him, it felt like he had been sleeping for just minutes. The sudden light, disorienting compared to the darkness of his room. Although now that he could focus he realised that despite his racing heartbeat he did feel remarkably well rested.

'What time is it?'

'Sevenish,' Ally estimated. 'We should head down soon; no one knows the tournament is today.'

'A surprise exam?' Harry was taken aback; he hadn't even known that was scheduled for today.

Ally smiled smugly. 'I had it cleared with Dumbledore. I think it will be good for the students to understand that fights don't happen on a schedule. It's going to be a good test for them.'

'You're a little evil sometimes, you know that?'

She kissed him quickly on the lips before disappearing into the bathroom with a sly grin. He shook his head with a laugh and set about getting Molly ready for the day.

**

* * *

**

Dumbledore had been awake since dawn, sitting in his office without any lights just thinking over the events of the past few months. Today at breakfast he would announce the second of Professor Martin's DADA tournaments. He felt incredibly old in that moment, waiting to announce an exam that would once more demonstrate that the woman he chose to teach his students was turning them into efficient little soldiers. Soldiers trained to kill.

Oh, he felt sure that it wasn't her intention, that her reasons for training them so well were truly about teaching them to protect themselves. It was just that reviewing the previous tournament, a tournament that took place after just a month of solid teaching; he was forced to face truths he was definitely not comfortable with.

It was like watching Voldemort win. He'd seen that too many times before, witnessed people he thought would be amongst those fighting strongest for the light falling harder than most. He was terrified Harry was already becoming one of those losses. Dumbledore had been keeping a closer eye on him than he hoped Harry was aware of. He'd been sitting in on a few of his classes and had come to some heavy conclusions.

Harry had a wealth of knowledge he hadn't had when he'd left the year before, much more than could be learned through study. Especially given the amount of time Harry actually spent devoted to his school work. There was no way, juggling Quidditch and OWLs that Harry was putting anywhere near enough time into his studies to be showing such a vast improvement.

Dumbledore had his theories and they were all tied into the connection Voldemort had formed with Harry _that_ night. His fear that Harry was absorbing knowledge directly from Voldemort was quickly taking over any other ideas he might have.

Torturing himself some more, he placed his Pensieve on his desk and withdrew the memory of an incident he had been fortunate enough to witness. This particular Saturday afternoon he'd been doing nothing more than taking a stroll around the grounds to clear his head and was fortunate, or unfortunate enough, to witness something unusual. It had only really peaked his interest because Harry was involved. The number of times he'd had to sharply veer in a different direction when walking by the lake so as to avoid students thoroughly enjoying one another was a little too high to count.

With a heavy heart he plunged into his memory...

_It was the sound of unexpected laughter that drew his attention away from the distant forest and toward the shore of the lake. He hadn't realised anyone was around, most students finding the near freezing waters of the lake a little off putting. Curious about the origin of the laughter he cloaked himself and moved softly and unhurriedly in the direction of the sound._

Watching as his memory counterpart strolled casually toward Harry he couldn't help but wish he'd ignored the sound that day.

_He rounded a bend in the lake and stopped on the edge of a clearing that was often used in summer by the older students who wanted a little alone time. He couldn't say he'd been expecting anyone to be about but that didn't mean there hadn't been some inventive students in the past who had found ways around the cold._

He drifted after himself with a heavy heart but this time made sure his entire focus was on the clearing and not on his own reactions.

_The clearing was, as he expected, wet from the mornings rain and the ground was turning to mud beneath the feet of its occupants. Not that they seemed to mind. Fourth year Abigail Nathan was almost entirely covered in mud making it difficult to tell what colour her clothes were. She certainly wasn't wearing her uniform. She was hanging off Harry's back and rubbing mud into his hair while her friend, a sixth year he recognised as Emmy James ran off with what looked like an ordinary muggle football._

_Despite the girl hanging off his back Harry put in a decent effort of running after Emmy but was blocked by Ron Weasley who was then tackled out of the way and thrown to the ground by a Slytherin fifth year, Daphne Greengrass. They were all laughing despite the chill and the new covering of mud._

Dumbledore watched the faces of the students as they played together, seemingly without a care in the world. This scene was what made the changes Harry was experiencing all the harder. Here, in early November he was still laughing and joking, although his choice of friends was quite muddling. He didn't like to watch but couldn't turn away, even when he knew the thing that so hurt about this memory was about to occur.

_Emmy made her way to the goal despite Harry's attempts to stop her. She spun around and performed a victory dance, sticking her tongue out at Daphne and Harry before high fiving Ron._

'_And that's our game!' Emmy cheered in victory. 'Sorry Harry,' she laughed, not sounding sorry at all._

'_You cheated!' he declared indignantly, the weight of Abby still clinging to his back prevented him from doing anything in retaliation._

'_Suck it up, big brother; all's fair in love and sport.'_

_Harry dumped her unceremoniously on the ground and Abby let out a squeal of protest as she landed on her bum. 'All's fair in love and sport, Abigail,' he mocked._

'_Don't call me Abigail,' she scolded, dropping low and sweeping his feet out from under him._

_He landed heavily on his back, letting out an oomph of surprise as the air rushed out of his lungs. Abigail moved swiftly to sit on Harry's chest so that he couldn't move._

'_Grab his legs,' she shouted to Emmy who moved to sit on his legs._

'_Ron!' Harry hissed. 'Don't you dare!'_

'_Sorry mate, you got out voted.'_

Dumbledore turned to leave, even as Ron's hand came down to drop a handful of mud on his best friends face. Laughed and shouted protests floated out of the clearing. Watching didn't make it better, only emphasised the Harry that was getting lost, the Harry that was being buried beneath the death and pain and destruction. The Harry that was succumbing to his connection with Voldemort.

He returned to his office and sank back into his chair. He had numerous other memories of Harry, bits and pieces both good and bad but it was this one that always hit him hardest. He couldn't bear the thought that Harry had been so light and happy because the Harry he had seen over the last month was darker, angrier even rude and obnoxious. He was becoming the arrogant git Severus had always thought he would turn out to be.

Unwilling to dwell on his memories any longer, Dumbledore rose from his chair and left his office. Today he would witness another tournament, another opportunity to watch as Harry twisted away from the light to be taken in by Voldemort's darkness. Apparently, merely telling himself not to dwell did not work as effectively as he had hoped.

The Great Hall was as full as could be expected at eight o'clock on a Saturday morning. Over half of the students that had to be at the surprise tournament were no doubt still sound asleep. When Professor Martin had approached him with her intentions, he'd been a little reluctant to allow her to continue on the path she'd designed at the beginning of the year. However he hadn't been able to dispute her logic.

Death Eater attacks were not planned, they came without warning. She'd pointed out, with plenty of evidence to back it up, that a surprise tournament was an excellent way to fairly judge the students ability to handle anything that could be thrown at them. That didn't mean, of course, that he had to like it.

He had only just begun his breakfast when Professor Martin entered the hall. She was dressed for the cold and snow, wearing heavy dragon hide boots muggle jeans and layers of jackets beneath what looked like a too small cloak. It hung only to her knees but covered her arms and had a hood. Her neck was hidden beneath a Gryffindor scarf and her hands were in gloves. There was snow on her boots and in her hair.

Harry was behind her, dressed similarly, though without the too small cloak. His face was flushed from the icy wind outside. He bent down to speak into her ear. She nodded at him and he walked off to the Gryffindor table and took a seat with Hermione. The two exchanged quick words before she let out a shriek and ran from the table at top speed. The other students he had come to recognise as ADADA members laughed but didn't look nearly as panicked as Hermione.

Dumbledore turned his attention back to Professor Martin. She gave him a brief nod to acknowledge him before stopping in front of the staff table and turning to face those students who had made it out of bed. She pointed her wand to the ceiling and let off a loud bang. All heads in the hall whipped around and she pocketed her wand with a smug look.

Dumbledore very nearly hated the young mother in that moment.

'Now that I have your attention,' she began firmly, 'At nine o'clock this morning your second Defence Against the Dark Arts tournament will begin. You have twenty minutes to wake your friends as I expect every one of you to be dressed for the weather and seated in the Quidditch stadium at exactly fifteen minutes to nine. Move.'

Dumbledore had seen students panic before, most recently when Harry had returned from the maze clutching Cedric's body. He had never seen them so excited while doing so, however. The moment Martin finished speaking they were on their feet and frantically trying to exit the hall while not crushing each other. He noticed that while the students in the hall were scrambling to get ready and wake their friends, the ADADA remained seated, chatting happily over breakfast.

He watched them carefully and felt he shouldn't have been surprised when they rose as a group when the other students cleared the Entrance Hall. They had waited for the chaos to pass before moving out without trouble. It made Dumbledore fear for what they were becoming. Students so young, reacting so calmly to new and unexpected situations.

He truly feared what he would see in the tournament.


	54. Chapter 48

**a/n: **here, it is the next chapter and after only a week. oceanlover14 requested a brief recap of what's happened so far and i was going to stick it in here but it got a bit long, so if you follow the link on my profile to my homepage there is a nice summary on my lj. if you have trouble getting to it or have issues with lj because everyone has to have a site they dislike for reasons entirely their own just PM me and i'll send you a copy. thanks for the fantastic support and reviews, you guys blow me away.

**Chapter 48**

Harry was cold and more than a little annoyed. They'd gotten through just half of the first years and he was honestly a little bored. Not that they weren't putting on a good show. Ally had taught them well enough to put on a decent fight against someone roughly their own skill level. It was just that he was used to watching Death Eaters fight. He was used to watching and occasionally joining in when the ADADA fought. Compared to that there wasn't anything particularly thrilling about watching midget first years shooting basic incapacitating spells at each other.

He paused in his prowl of the edge of the fighting platform, to squat next to Ron for a bit of conversation and to steal a bit of warmth from Hermione's fire. If it were just the ADADA he'd have just wandered around on fire, using his own power to keep warm. Unfortunately the whole school was present so that wasn't really possible. He felt sorry for McGonagall and Snape who were standing with Madam Pomfrey and the trainee healers she'd borrowed from St Mungo's. They stood on the side lines outside a small medical tent without the warmth of a fire or a good blanket.

The first years hadn't caused too much damage but the same was unlikely to be true of the third years and up. Those students, Ally deemed old enough to learn how to really cause some damage and were almost strong enough to use it to their advantage. She'd organised for the aid tent to make things simpler.

'It's wrong that I'm bored, yeah?'

Ron looked over at him from his position snuggled up against Daphne under a blanket and frowned. 'Yeah,' he agreed, 'but you're not alone.'

'We're a little bored too,' Daphne explained.

'And dead tired,' Emmy complained. 'I had to follow some stupid witch all the way around Scotland last night.'

As if to prove that being forced to sit through this tournament was, in fact, a waste of time, she rolled up the leg of her cords to show a white bandage wrapped around her calf. It showed just the slightest red splodge of blood having seeped through. To Emmy, and apparently the rest of the ADADA (perhaps with the exception of Hermione) this was evidence enough that their skills were beyond what could be tested in a simple tournament.

'That's nothing,' Daphne assured her. She unzipped her jacket a little and pulled down her scarf just enough to show an ugly red and purple bloody mess over her collarbone. 'Death Eater curse, Snape still doesn't know what it was.'

That was a little impressive and Harry really hoped Dumbledore never caught sight of so many signs of their time spent fighting Death Eaters. If he was having trouble grasping the idea that children could fight back to protect themselves then he certainly wasn't going to take well to the evidence that they were getting hurt in the process.

Before them, the last of the first years finished their fight, the loser hitting the ground with a heavy thwack and a slight spray of blood. The winner, breathing heavily, looked more surprised than pleased with his win. He wouldn't get time to enjoy it though, not the way Ally had organised this tournament. In this tournament you fought until you were defeated and then whoever beat you got to try their hand at beating everyone else. He'd have a few minutes to grab a drink from Madam Pomfrey before he would get to try his hand at the first of the second years.

'Ouch,' Ginny remarked rather calmly as the second year positively whipped the poor first year into a lump of unmoving person on the ground. 'That lasted long.'

Harry shrugged; Snape was sending him pointed looks that suggested perhaps he could remove the unconscious student because the spell that had hit him had thrown him much closer to Harry.

'Duty calls.'

He tried not to be too reluctant as he got up and walked casually over to the unconscious boy. He could hear Ally shouting the name of the second year up next but he paid it no attention. He crouched beside the fallen boy and inspected his injuries. It didn't look like anything bad, then again these days his idea of bad was a lot direr than it had been. Or anyone else's interpretation of bad, for that matter. His bad was probably more aligned with everyone else's definition of half dead.

He tapped the boy's cheek lightly in the hopes of bringing him around. When that failed to work he hit the kid a little harder. That definitely worked and the kid's eyes opened slowly and he blinked up at Harry in confusion.

'On your feet kid.'

He received a groan in response but the boy did get to his feet slowly and Harry pointed him in the direction of Madam Pomfrey and her little aid tent. He seemed to shake it off a little as he walked and Harry turned his attention back to the fight about to start. This one, like all the ones before it, didn't last very long. Oh, it lasted longer than most but it ended the same, with a second year student on the ground and the winner panting with a look of great relief on her face.

And so it went on, some lasted longer than others, some barely made it through one fight but in the end just one second year boy was left standing. He'd fended off four of his fellow second years to take the position of top of his year and he looked exactly as you would expect. His face was flushed and sweaty and his breathing was laboured, no doubt made worse by the winter chill.

Still, he had that look of someone who knew they'd just done a pretty good job and weren't going to let anyone take away his title. This was when Ally announced the first of the third years and his next opponent. Keeping in mind that she was drawing the names at random out of a hat, it was just plain bad luck what happened next.

'Stephanie Allen.'

An explosion of noise from the ADADA accompanied Stephanie as she moved toward the platform. Harry bumped her shoulder playfully as she passed and grinned when she shot him a dirty look over her shoulder. The poor second year didn't stand a chance.

Harry moved as close as he dared just so he could get a better look at the slaughter about to take place. He didn't bother holding in his laugh when Stephanie stepped onto the platform and stood with her arms crossed and her head tilted to the side.

'Well, go on then,' she prompted, waiting for the second year to make a move.

He wasn't stupid, Harry would give him that. He, like most of the school, had noticed that Stephanie was a part of Harry Potter's group and it was giving him pause. Still he couldn't just stand back and do nothing in the hopes of surviving whatever was about to be thrown at him.

He threw the first spell.

Stephanie had her wand out and a shield up before the spell had even been fully cast. She battered it away, and snapped a spell back. The crimson red light hit its target but a last minute shield prevented it from doing any lasting damage. Unimpressed, Stephanie fired back three successive spells, simple though they were, and moved closer to her opponent. He tried to fight back and he did put up a pretty good effort but when he fired a little white spell at her and she just back handed it out of her path he knew it was all over.

He took a stunner right to the chest, one of the older ones Ally told them not to use unless they had a good eight hours on their hands. He hit the platform like a stiff board and Stephanie pocketed her wand. She rubbed her hands together to fend off the cold in an obvious demonstration that the fight hadn't affected her one bit.

Snape offered her an almost smile when he moved onto the platform to remove her unconscious opponent. She grinned and then turned to greet the next poor sucker. This one, a tall willowy girl, didn't go down as quickly as the last but she still fell to Stephanie, as did every other third year who tried to best her. Some were difficult; some were easy enough that a strong spell merely tore through their shields.

Stephanie didn't come out on top completely unscathed, she had a few scratches and one burn but when dealing with Death Eaters and, well, Harry, scrapes and burns were not unexpected. Her skin was flushed but she wasn't struggling for breath. She was much more accustomed to this sort of thing than any ordinary thirteen year old probably should be.

She made her way across the platform to Madam Pomfrey who offered her a nice warm cup of cocoa and a piece of cake. Stephanie smiled gratefully and ducked inside briefly to check out the mini massacre she'd just caused. There was a general chorus of moans and groans and the occasional bit of bitching but mostly it was good natured.

While Stephanie was in the tent trying not to rub it in how she had beaten every single one of the third years, Ally walked up to Harry and McGonagall. The two were conversing in low tones about the fight put up by certain promising students.

'We're breaking for lunch,' she informed them, rubbing her hands together against the cold and then using McGonagall as a shield so she could stick them in one of the pockets of Harry's jacket.

McGonagall pursed her lips but didn't comment, even when smoke started to curl up out of his pocket and she began to smell parchment burning. Whatever had been in Harry's pocket hadn't survived Ally's desire for warm fingers.

'Molly's hungry,' Harry mentioned absently as he watched the students moving away to the row of tables the house elves had set up with hot soups and stews and pretty much any delicious winter type food you could want.

'Yeah, I know,' Ally murmured. 'I'm going to go feed her; we'll start up again at one.'

Once Ally was gone, heading back to the castle and their daughter, McGonagall and Harry returned to their conversation about promising students. They didn't get much chance to talk before Dumbledore was descending on them, a look of joy and amusement on his face. Up close it was easy to see the worry hidden under the smile.

'Miss Allen was quite impressive.'

It was an observation as much as it was a warning light going off in his head that something was not right. Both Harry and McGonagall inwardly winced in preparation for an interrogation or some words that would once more make Dumbledore seem like a controlling git.

'Am I to understand that Miss Allen is a member of Professor Martin's advanced defence group?' Dumbledore asked with all of the polite interest he could muster.

'She is,' Harry answered warily. He was far too cold to deal with Dumbledore; if he wanted to start being worried about someone else going dark that was fine. Just so long as he did it elsewhere.

McGonagall, who was of the same opinion, looked Dumbledore square in the eye as though daring him to say what he was thinking. They stared at each other for longer than was strictly necessary and Dumbledore (unfortunately) came out on top. McGonagall stayed firm, though, she'd seen enough in the short time she'd known about the ADADA to know that Dumbledore was clueless and short sighted when it came to the true potential of his students.

She may not have agreed, at first, with putting young children in the path of Death Eaters but she couldn't say it wasn't effective. The ADADA rarely left anyone standing or able to talk and those that could were handed directly to the right people within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Just the smallest of rumours had gotten out so it still came as an immense surprise when children started fighting back.

'How long has Miss Allen been a part of the group?'

He might be aware that Harry was also part of the group but that didn't mean Dumbledore had ever brought it up before or been lucky to witness a real ADADA session.

'She was the last to join,' Harry answered. 'Ron pointed her out after the last tournament at the end of September.'

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully and Harry exchanged confused looks with McGonagall. Both of them were wondering if that was all he had to say or if he was just lulling them into a false sense of security before hitting them with a tough question.

Stephanie herself interrupted them before they could discover either way.

'Hey, Harry, Professor McGonagall.' She froze for a second when she saw Dumbledore but continued on as though she'd always known he was there, 'Professor Dumbledore.'

'Stephanie,' McGonagall greeted with a smile.

'Ah, Miss Allen. An excellent performance, today, congratulations.'

'Thank you, sir.'

An awkward silence fell over the group; one of those ones that you know would instantly go away if just one person left. In this case, Stephanie had obviously come over to say something and was now unable to say it, or unwilling to, with Dumbledore standing right there.

Whether or not he was aware of the silence and how its awkwardness could be attributed solely to him was apparently not something he was concerned about. He seemed perfectly happy to merely stand with them and survey the students as they gathered around the long tables collecting food before returning to their picnic blankets.

All at once Harry, McGonagall and Stephanie made excuses and hurried to leave. They didn't wait to see if Dumbledore was even going to say anything in response before hurrying away. Had they looked back they would have felt, perhaps, that they should feel a little guilty for leaving. Behind them, was a tired old man who was struggling to come to terms with a changing world.

Or a controlling old git who was really good at faking it.

**

* * *

**

Stephanie let out a startled cry as the ice jinx slammed into her shoulder but didn't falter as she fired off a screeching hex designed to deafen her opponent. The spell wrapped around the fourth year boy, shredding his shields and sending him to his knees. She finished him off with a stunner and then collapsed to her knees.

Snape hurried forward to remove the spell from the fourth year boy while Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall rushed forward to help Stephanie. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her jaw was clenched but other than the initial cry of pain she didn't make a sound. McGonagall helped her into a more comfortable sitting position while Pomfrey removed the ice jinx and used a gentle warming charm to heal the stiff joint.

'Better?' Pomfrey question when her probing fingers told her there was no longer any damage to Stephanie's shoulder.

Stephanie nodded and it was with great relief that she once more got to her feet. She rotated her shoulder a few times to ease the dull ache and thanked Madam Pomfrey for her help. Pomfrey muttered something about ridiculous and dangerous school activities under her breath but smiled at Stephanie before leaving the platform with McGonagall.

'Abigail Nathan!'

Stephanie couldn't contain her pained groan when Ally announced her next competitor. She was tired, she was sore and she was definitely dripping blood from somewhere. She'd been fighting for what felt like hours and now she had to face another member of the ADADA. Oh, she would put up a good fight but it was going to hurt like hell.

Abby stepped onto the platform looking fresh as a daisy and ready to wipe the floor with Stephanie. She grinned and Stephanie had to laugh. If she were going to go down in this tournament, she definitely wanted to fall at the hands of an ADADA member decked out in advertising for the Weasley twins' shop. The bright flashing letters on the back of her jacket were a point of contention for Dumbledore which only ensured Abby got more pleasure out of it.

Stephanie fired first, too tired to wait around and get hit. As expected Abby dodged the spell and fired back two of her own. And so it went on, for a good twenty minutes the two fired spell after spell at each other. They each took hits but nothing too big got through their shields. Sometimes it looked as though Abby would come out on top, sometime as though Stephanie would.

In the end it was something as simple as sliding on a slick patch of the platform that ended the duel. Stephanie's foot slipped and the shield she was casting faltered just long enough to let one of Abby's elemental spells slam into her. The force of the spell threw her off her feet and she landed on her back on the platform a good ten feet from where she'd started.

She probably could have gotten back up but she was spent. She lay on her back, desperately trying to catch the breath that had been knocked out of her by the spell. Abby came to stand next to her and hauled her to her feet, helping her over to Harry. He slung an arm around Stephanie's waist and guided her off the platform in the direction of the aid tent. Abby gave her hand a gentle squeeze before she went back to the centre of the platform.

'Ow, ow, ow, ow,' Stephanie moaned with every step.

Harry laughed and helped her gently onto one of the makeshift beds. 'You did good.'

Her only response was, 'Ow, ow, ow.'

Outside on the platform it was Abby's turn to demonstrate just what the ADADA could do.


	55. Chapter 49

**a/n: **a huge thank you goes to everyone who reviewed the last chapter because, as always, you keep me motivated. and isn't that cheesy? anyway, thanks for all of the kind words and support and i hope you enjoy this chapter. your thoughts are always appreciated.

**Chapter 49**

There is something about a five foot four blonde girl wearing Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes promotional clothing that is nothing short of terrifying.

Abby was decked out, for the most part, in what had roughly become the ADADAs uniform. She was wearing head to toe black muggle clothing that made the bright coloured triple Ws all the more emphatic. It helped, of course, that she had managed to take down the tournaments longest standing competitor. Working against her was the fact that she was shivering in the cold.

'Come on, Ally, I'm freezing!' Abby bitched, rubbing her hands together and jumping on the spot.

'It's not me,' Ally shouted back to her, finger pointing toward the stands where Dumbledore was deep in conversation with a woman Abby didn't recognize. 'One of the governors,' Ally explained.

'Lovely.' Abby rolled her eyes and stalked off the platform in the direction of the nearest fire which turned out to be on the blanket of a group of Slytherins.

'Sod off,' she snapped at them when they tried to get her to leave. 'It's bloody cold and one of the school governors is trying to get this tournament stopped.'

That shut them up pretty good and they didn't make any more moves to shoo her until Dumbledore finally won his fight with the governor and Ally called the next name.

'Colin Creevy!'

The fight against Colin went as well as could be expected when fighting a boy who hero worships the great Harry Potter. He'd obviously been spending a little too much time trying to become like Harry because he had a few nasty spells up his sleeve. One such spell was designed to wrap you in a sticky coating that made it very difficult to move and, if applied with the right malicious intentions, could cut off your ability to breathe.

Abby smashed that one back at Colin and had the satisfaction of watching it shred through his shield and stop him dead mid motion. Extra satisfaction was added when it took Snape a few minutes to undo the sticky spell and release him. Fight clearly over, Abby stood back and waited for Ally to call the next name. And the next name and the next name until finally it was Luna's turn.

Amongst the ADADA it was widely acknowledge that Luna was one of the scariest people to be stuck fighting. Fighting with, sure, that was brilliant, but fighting her was a whole other question. You never knew what she was going to throw at you. One time, while sparring with Steven, she'd turned his hair into a bouquet of posies. Then she'd taken out his knees with a bludgeoning curse that had put him in the hospital wing for a week while he was distracted by the resulting hay fever.

Abby tried not to let any of her nervous concern show and she thought she was doing a pretty good job until she realised Ron had joined Harry at the edge of the platform and both were laughing. She shot them a glare but that only seemed to make them laugh harder.

'Abigail,' Luna greeted her with a smile and Abby felt the distinct urge to shift from foot to foot.

'Hi, Luna.'

'The weather's a bit crap.'

Abby laughed at that, 'Yeah, it is.'

She wasn't stupid enough to let Luna keep talking. She fired the first spell, not at Luna but at the ground beneath her feet. Luna jumped neatly aside and shot a spell back that whizzed past Abby's left ear but didn't hit her. Spell's got thrown back and forth, some bounced off shields others were dodged. Luna was putting up a hell of a fight. She even tried to trick Abby with a mimicry spell that moved her four feet to the right while leaving behind a fairly decent shadow copy.

It didn't work, Abby had been there when Luna learned that spell and so it was an anticipated move she counteracted by turning the platform into quicksand. Luna moved but not fast enough to completely avoid it. One foot sank quickly from beneath her and she was forced to drop to her knee. Unable to pull free, though she did try, Luna shot a couple of spells at Abby but she was at a distinct disadvantage.

Abby's stunner caught her right between the eyes.

Luna flopped backward, one leg sunk up to her knee, the other collapsed beneath her. Abby hurried forward to help Snape and Harry haul her out of the quicksand. Honestly, Abby was a little surprised she'd come out the victor and that she hadn't been hit with anything more serious than a fusing jinx that had glued all of the fingers of her wand hand together. It was McGonagall who undid that particular spell so that Abby could commence with the beating of every other fourth year around.

Of course, she still had Ginny to go and by some horrible run of luck, Ginny's name was the last to be pulled from the hat. In a reversal of earlier rolls, Abby stood breathing heavy and coated in minor scratches while Ginny stepped onto the platform looking fresh but chilled.

It was a new experience for Abby to be fighting Ginny as they generally avoided anything that had the potential to turn into a free-for-all brawl. To say they were competitive would be a bit of an understatement, something that likely stemmed from Ginny's role over the summer and the first few months of the school term as Harry's best friend and the role Abby had comfortably made for herself as Harry's pseudo sister.

That's not to say they didn't like each other just that their desire to shower Harry in love and sibling like affection tended to make them highly competitive. Therefore it didn't surprise any of the ADADA when the fight between Abby and Ginny lasted far longer than any of the previous fights despite Abby's injuries.

Ginny fired off the first spell, a simple binding jinx that working by trapping your feet to the ground. Abby blocked the spell and countered with her own, a Ruby invention, that surrounded you with a horrible sense of falling and worked as a brilliant distraction. Ginny threw the spell off just like they'd been taught and launched a series of complicated spells, some of which Abby didn't even bother to identify. Not that she had the time, what with blocking and dodging spells.

Abby did have one trick up her sleeve, when she got close enough to Ginny to kick her in the knee, she instead faked the motions and got her smack in the chest with the same elemental spell she'd used to knock Stephanie out of the competition. It hit Ginny right on target but diluted by the strongest shield charm Ginny knew. It threw the redhead backward off her feet and she landed with a heavy smack on the platform. Unlike Stephanie she sprang to her feet, admittedly with a wince and a hand to her ribs.

What happened next was quick and brutal and resulted in three black eyes, twelve broken fingers, a broken wrist and a twisted ankle. That was on top of Ginny's bruised ribs and Abby's already weakened shoulder which was, by the time the fight was over, well and truly dislocated. Both of them ended up flat on the platform, Abby on her back and Ginny, wincing constantly, on her front. They both had their wands pointed at each other but they were very much at a standstill.

They both fired at the same time, one spell bounced off a shield and the other impacted a hip. Ginny's wand fell from suddenly frozen fingers and Abby's head fell back against the platform with a dull thud. She let out a small, disbelieving whimper that turned into a name when she realised that the warmth she felt under her hand was, in fact, her own blood.

'Harry.'

And then darkness took over.

When she came to, she was lying on one of the makeshift hospital beds in the aid tent and nothing hurt anymore. She discovered she was a little stiff when she tried to sit up but it was nothing that wouldn't fade given a bit of gentle movement.

'How are you feeling?'

Harry was sitting in a chair beside her with his feet kicked up onto the end of her bed.

'Definitely better than I did.'

'Good, we've waited for you long enough.'

Abby pulled a face when she realised he meant the tournament was still out there waiting for her. 'How long have I been out?'

'Oh, about half an hour. Madam Pomfrey wanted to make sure everything had set before she tossed you back out there.'

'Lucky me.'

Harry grinned and pulled her from the bed. He draped an arm across her shoulders and steered her out of the tent.

'Ginny's furious you beat her.'

Abby's mood, a little sour from having to go straight back out to fight some fifth years, took a slight upturn at the news. 'The fight could have gone either way.'

'True,' Harry agreed. 'Now go and beat up some fifth years.'

He kissed the top of her head and pushed her out onto the platform where she could see Ally and Dumbledore in the middle of a heated discussion. Snape and McGonagall were standing beside the two, clearly trying to side with Ally without obviously siding with her. Abby solved whatever problem Dumbledore seemed to be having by bouncing up to the four with a big smile on her face.

'Ready,' she announced brightly.

Her cheerful tone caught Dumbledore off guard and he blinked owlishly at her for a few seconds before he realised she was saying she was ready to fight again. He shook his head and gave her a look which was both sad and angry. Though, she couldn't be sure if the anger was directed at her, Ally or the world in general.

'Miss Nathan I'm not sure it is wise that we continue with this tournament.'

Abby gave Dumbledore a blank look that made him shift uncomfortably. Eventually she said, 'Right. Whenever you're ready, Martin.'

With a last look at Dumbledore, Abby moved toward the centre of the platform and pulled out her wand. She twirled it between her fingers to while away the time it would take Dumbledore to decide that Ally knew best and they should just get on with things. She kept her focus on him out of the corner of her eye just waiting for him to make his move.

He hesitated, eyes flicking between Abby and Ally before he gave a resigned sigh. Abby stopped twirling her wand and smiled smugly while Ally reached for the next name.

'Neville Longbottom.'

Poor Neville went the way of everyone else, his much improved defence skills nothing against Abby's time in the ADADA. He fell to a complicated stunner as did both Patil twins, Lavender Brown and Ernie McMillan. Seamus Finnegan provided a little more resistance but he too fell when Abby got him across the back with an incapacitating jarring jinx.

The most entertaining of her fights against the fifth years was when she came up against a fury filled Pansy Parkinson. Pure blood to the bone, Pansy had some truly horrible spells up her sleeve but nothing that could compare to months of fighting real Death Eaters. Every attempt she made on Abby was blocked or countered until her shield slipped and Abby got her with an ordinary stunner.

'Ron Weasley.'

Abby could have wept with relief. Her entire body ached from numerous bumps, bruises and scrapes and a fight against Ron was one she could stand to lose. Unlike his little sister, Abby had no real need to compete with Ron. She was perfectly happy to accept he was the better fighter and pass out on the platform from sheer exhaustion.

'You still alive, Abs?' Ron's teasing tone made her feel a hundred times better after taking down so many fifth years.

'Not really,' she admitted. 'I'm so tired.'

'I'll make it quick,' he promised, sure in the knowledge that he could take her.

'Please.'

She wasn't begging, nope definitely not begging. She in no way made it easy for him by putting up only a token effort and letting him hit her with a stunner after what she'd judged the appropriate time.

Ron removed the stunner himself and helped Abby to her feet. He passed her off to Daphne and Harry who helped her sink gently onto the ADADAs cluster of picnic blankets.

'Oh sweet relief,' she murmured, taking the blanket Ginny offered. 'Give them hell,' she added to Ron as an afterthought.

And so Ron took the platform and beat the crap out of all of the remaining fifth years who weren't part of the ADADA. It could have been a blood bath but for the significant difference in skill level. Ron reinforced what had already been rammed home to all of the students and teachers watching. The ADADA knew what they were doing and Merlin help whoever stood in their way.

Hermione was the first to come up against Ron and with as much as she read she did put up a bit of a challenge but her strength and speed were way below what he'd come to expect in a fight. He knocked her out cold with a concussion hex that left her with a bloody nose and a bleeding eye. Unaccustomed to that kind of injury she went willingly into the aid tent with Pomfrey and subsequently missed Ron defeating Susan.

Susan, like Hermione, didn't spend as much time physically battling Death Eaters but she knew how to handle herself and she did help out with the bigger battles. She was a tougher opponent but not one Ron couldn't handle. Especially with the entire Hogwarts crowd cheering him on. A crowd could do wonders for an ego.

An ego that got a little inflated—or swelled to encompass the whole of Britain—when Malfoy strutted onto the platform determined to prove once and for all that he was truly the son of a pure blood and Death Eater.

Ron started to shake.

'Scared, Weasley?' Malfoy drawled.

Ron doubled over into near hysterical laughter, revealing the shaking to be an effort to hide his mirth. Malfoy's smirk faltered but he wasn't one to waste an opportunity. He fired a spell at Ron's doubled over form and received a bludgeoning hex to the chest. Unprepared for the quick retaliation, especially when he hadn't perceived Ron as any threat, he'd left himself wide open for attack. His cocky attitude once more served as his downfall and he fell to the platform, blood exploding from his mouth as a rib pierced a lung.

Ron didn't bother to help him up, leaving the distasteful chore to Snape who didn't exactly go about it in a respectful fashion. With the war weighing down on him he had very little patience for prats like Malfoy junior who wanted nothing but their daddy's fame and fortune. People who knew nothing of what war was really like truly served to irritate him and just about every other member of the ADADA, Order and those in the Ministry who actually knew what they were doing.

There were just two more fifth years to face and Ron wasn't sure which he was dreading more. The fight that involved being pitted against his girlfriend or the one that put him in Harry's line of fire. Either way, he wasn't about to come out unscathed. He'd fought with and against both Daphne and Harry often enough to know a few of their tricks and to know just what they were capable of.

'Daphne Greengrass.'

He would have exhaled in relief but he knew Daphne fought dirty and he wasn't sure he wanted to know what she had in store for this particular fight. When she stepped onto the platform, bundled up in extra layers with her hair tied back and a pair of earmuffs on he was momentarily distracted by the wonder that she was dating him. She came from a rich and old pureblood family and she was dating _him_. Sometimes he wondered if Hermione wasn't right to question it. And then Daphne thumped in the chest for being stupid.

'Weasley.' She inclined her head, acting oddly formal without even a hint of humour.

'Greengrass.' He mirrored her action and for just a moment they held their gazes with a blank distrust. Then he burst into a grin and she tossed him a flirtatious wink.

'You ready for this?'

'Oh yeah.'

She fought dirty but only in the way that he and Harry were truly familiar with. The down and dirty style of fighting that is somehow known to all women when sparring with their partner. Oh he gave as good as she did—almost—but the way she used her body was just plain maddening.

They traded spells, physical blows and at one point stopped for a bit of a snog before he got the upper hand and clobbered her with a spell to summon water. He followed it quickly with a freezing charm that likely would have had more affect if he hadn't been distracted at the last minute by a powerful humming curse that caused the whole of his left leg to vibrate so fast he nearly fell over. He countered the humming curse and launched a series of concoctions the twins had created at her. They were just a few things that had been left in his pocket from the last Death Eater raid that he hadn't gotten around to handing back over.

She took a weird goo-like explosive to the face but that didn't stop her from stabbing him in the chest with a small firework she'd apparently lifted from his pocket when they stopped for a snog. She was sneaky and downright sexy and in the end what took him down was a few suggestive words whispered in his ear at just the right time and a rather gentle stunner.

Daphne grinned unapologetically when she removed the spell and offered him a quick kiss before she shoved him off the platform and readied herself to end up as a bloody smear on the ground. Deep, calming breaths were the best she could do to prepare herself for a fight against Harry. Anything else and she'd just—

'Cho Chang.'

--freak herself out...wait what?

Daphne spun to look at Ally in confusion and she certainly wasn't the only one. Almost since the beginning of the tournament every student and most of the teachers had been looking forward to watching Harry Potter fight. For Ally to simply skip over him was just unacceptable. Daphne shot a questioning look at Harry who had moved to stand between McGonagall and Snape and looked perfectly unsurprised by the news.

'Cho Chang,' Ally repeated firmly.

Not wanting to be told three times, Cho Chang took to the platform. The confusion over Harry being left out hang over the tournament, some being worried he was going to be made to fight in another year level, others (Malfoy) wondered if he weren't being deliberately left out because he couldn't hope to stand up against his fellow students.

It took a few matches to properly get back into the swing of things and by that time Daphne had beaten her way through half a dozen sixth years, including Jesse. She was a little out of breath and the wound on her shoulder was beginning to weep some sort of bloody pussy mix that was fast soaking through her clothes. Oddly it didn't hurt; it was just uncomfortable and sticky.

'Emmy James.'

Like all of the ADADA members before her, Daphne had a pretty good idea of what Emmy could do. She also knew that with her wound doing what it was she wasn't going to last very long in a fight against someone who spent most nights when she wasn't doing homework tracking down Death Eaters.

Like Abby when she came up against Ron, Daphne felt a sense of relief when she started to fight Emmy. She put on a good show but she had no problem letting her shield slip and a blinding jinx get through. Even if she probably could have kept fighting, she threw down her wand. She wasn't willing to do anymore damage to her shoulder trying to fight Emmy blind.

Harry and Snape were by her side the moment her wand slipped from her fingers and she was quickly lifted into Harry's arms and pulled toward the aid tent. She was vaguely aware of Ron hurrying to follow but things were getting a bit fuzzy and blood loss was a crappy way to lose consciousness.

To keep with tradition, Emmy took down every remaining sixth year. The most notable fight involved one boys' wand being shattered beyond recognition. She put up a good effort against the seventh years, going so far as to take down Steven in a spectacular and gory display of spells and hand to hand.

Her defeat, in the end, came at the hands of George who quite thoroughly proved what an evil genius he could be. She spent some quality time in the aid tent having her fingers straightened and mended after that particular fight.

With Emmy down there was just one person standing in George's way of winning the tournament and that was Fred. And a slight case of starvation but he could probably let that slide for a little longer.

Watching the Weasley twins fight was one of the most dramatic and colourful displays of violence likely to be seen. They threw spells at each other, fists and even some of their own products. It was truly spectacular, watching Fred launch a prototype grenade at George that exploded outward with quite a few spells and the black sludge they hadn't quite managed to get rid of yet.

In the end it was the slightest edge that came from having had no one else to fight that allowed Fred to defeat his brother and shower the whole Quidditch stadium in coloured sparks.

With George flat out on the platform Fred had one worrying moment when he wondered if he was going to have to fight Harry. Ally eased his fears by stepping up next to him and waving her hand to quiet the cheering crowd.

'Congratulations Fred.'

Aware of the watching crowd Fred thought it best to keep things formal. 'Thanks, Professor Martin.'

She told him to return to his blanket and addressed the crowd. 'The full ranking will be posted in the Entrance Hall tomorrow morning but now I have something a little special planned. I know it's getting dark and you're freezing but you're going to want to stick around for this. I know you're aware Harry Potter didn't fight and this is why, he's going to fight me.'

Complete and utter silence enveloped the stadium, no one knew whether she was serious or not. Dumbledore certainly made his way over to her quickly but he was, surprisingly, stopped by McGonagall who told him to wait and watch.

The stadium filled with and excited buzz as Harry stepped up onto the platform and moved to stand directly in front of Ally.

'Ready?' she asked with a grin.

'Always.'

She threw the first punch.


	56. Chapter 50

**a/n: **well here it is, the long awaited fight between Harry and Ally. i hope it lives up to the hype but either way i'd love to hear your thoughts. it was a little daunting writin such a chapter but i think it came across just as i had hoped. read, review and above all i hope you get a kick out of it.

**Chapter 50**

Albus Dumbledore had devoted many hours and resources toward learning everything there was to know about Harry Potter. He'd had him watched over the summer by Order members as not only protection but a learning experience in how the boy dealt with grief. He spent many hours sitting in on Harry's classes over the years and had spent an evening, once or twice, in the Gryffindor common room watching as he interacted with his friends.

He knew Harry had changed over the summer, that something in him had snapped after one too many deaths, he just hadn't truly realised how much the boy had changed. He'd known, of course, of the boy's slow transition into the darker side of things but it had never been presented to him so clearly what Harry truly was. He also understood why McGonagall had not allowed him to interfere.

Professor Martin threw the first punch and Dumbledore saw, for the first time, that Harry was a killer. He had made death an art, far more so than Voldemort ever had. He watched from the sidelines as the boy who once fought so strongly for that which was right transformed into a killing machine.

Harry's hand shot out to catch Martin's fist and he tugged her forward when his fingers closed around her fist. She planted her feet and used her free hand to throw a spell at him. He released her fist and was already firing off his own retaliation before her spell had deflected off his shield.

Had any one of his Order members pulled off such a difficult move of maintaining a shield while casting spells he would have been impressed. For Dumbledore, watching Harry execute well practiced moves was much more like watching Death Eaters slaughter the ranks of Ministry officials.

Before him, Harry and Martin had moved swiftly from physical blows to spells and back again faster than most people could comprehend. One moment Martin had Harry in a headlock, legs tangled together and the next Harry was across the platform wand in hand and spells exploding from his wand with a ferocity and frequency as to be likened only to those most skilled duellers.

The world around them was awash with coloured lights, dodged spells and minor explosions as the spells that missed their targets found other resting places. A spell Harry had quite easily sidestepped took out four students, when it blasted through the shields around the platform. Dumbledore didn't recognise it but he understood the power behind it, his eyes temporarily drawn away from the fight to watch as Madam Pomfrey hurried to aid the students.

Pomfrey bustled about, casting spells and healing what damage she could before conjuring stretches to move the students. She went about shielded at all times, never flinching as spells bounced off her back and ricocheted back onto the platform. He searched for the source of the shield; sure the woman would be unable to maintain such a shield while casting so many healing spells.

There was no discernable answer but his eyes roved over the crowd and for the first time he noticed (while ducking a spell himself) that the ADADA had risen from their blankets and were prowling the edge of the platform. Each held a position so that together they covered the perimeter.

As he watched, Martin shot a powerful and most assuredly deadly curse at Harry. Before Dumbledore could even react, the spell was blown back by a simple smack of Harry's gloved hand. The spell slammed into the shield Martin had erected to surround the platform and tore through it like it were tissue paper.

The entire shield collapsed and Dumbledore's heart leapt into his throat. He was too far away to prevent the spell from hitting one of the students. The world around him seemed to slow as he waited for the inevitable to happen. And then suddenly, it sped back up and a first year Slytherin was saved from a fate of certain death. Abby stepped directly into the path of the spell, taking death for herself.

He became aware of a hand gripping his arm and realised that Snape was holding him firmly in place and preventing him from doing what could be done to save the fourth year girl.

'Observe,' his potions master instructed calmly.

Aware that when it came to the physical he was but an old man, he could do nothing but follow Snape's simple instruction. He watched and was witness to something else entirely. The spell impacted with Abby's chest knocking her back off her feet and seemed to spread across the length of her body. It appeared as though to soak into her clothing and then the light of the spell vanished and Ginny was helping her to her feet.

'How is that possible?'

'A remarkable invention by the Weasley twins, headmaster.'

Then Snape was pulling him down to avoid what looked like an unforgivable but was, in fact, a pale imitation. His attention was drawn back to the fight between his Defence professor and the boy he had hoped would one day save the wizarding world from Voldemort. He saw it with fresh eyes, disbelieving and fearful though they were.

Neither Martin nor Harry were breathing particularly heavy and, though they bore the signs of a scuffle in bruises and small cuts, they were largely unharmed. They moved around each other as though performing a well practiced dance. Harry cast a spell and Martin was already moving to block it while casting her own. They landed blows, both physical and magical but few seemed to have an effect and most were blocked long before they could have landed.

His Order had reported to him all of the incidents they had been witness to in which Harry had spoken lightly of death. He himself had been witness to Harry joking about how difficult it was to remove brain matter from his shoes. They mocked death in everything they did, joked about causing it and laughed about the gory details afterward.

Death was his dance, killing his art.

**

* * *

**

Death was his dance, killing his art. Ginny had told him that once, in the early days when he and the twins were still trying to figure Harry out. He'd believed her, even then, but he'd never seen her words in action before. Ally being pregnant had rendered it mostly impossible for her and Harry to truly spar. Like everyone else he was witnessing for the first time a true fight between them.

Harry dropped to the platform, landing hard on one knee but he leapt back to his feet almost instantly. He fired a few spells at Ally and Ron was forced to come between a far too strong binding curse and the crowd of students before he would have had to set about untangling twelve students from their friends and housemates. The spell hit his shield and he absorbed the full force, barely flinching at its strength.

He'd gone toe to toe with Harry before but never like this. Never with the strength, speed and agility with which he was attacking Ally. Harry landed a blow to Ally's back which sent her tumbling face first toward the platform. She twisted at the last minute, landing on her back and clipping him with a thickening spell that caused the air around him to take on the consistency of pudding. Dispersing that, gave her the time she needed to get back to her feet. She never stopped casting spells.

The rate the two were firing spells looked exhausting to any amateur and Ron knew even the ADADA would have trouble keeping up with them after so long spent fighting. These two never seemed to tire and as Ron shot up a quick shield charm to protect some fifth years from a burning curse, he felt exhausted just watching them.

Ally knocked Harry off his feet and pressed his face into the platform. She pressed her knee into his back and fired a spell at the back of his head. The spell never connected; rather it bounced off a quickly erected shield and slammed back into Ally's own. The force of the blow shifted her balance allowing Harry to shove her off and scramble to his feet. His nose was bleeding but he paid very little attention to it. He had no doubt it would stop soon enough.

Ron had his back to the platform while he wrestled with a spell that had only just missed his shields. The seventh year it had struck was wrapped in an unpleasant cousin of the bubblehead charm and currently choking in a balloon filled with water. Still, some weird sense he'd developed from far too many Death Eater battles, told him to duck. He dragged the seventh year down with him and the ground before them exploded. Clumps of dirt shot in all directions, covering half a dozen students and leaving a four foot deep hole in the ground.

Ron spun around no longer daring to take his eyes of his best mate and his girlfriend. Ally had a storm of spells swirling around her and Harry had a thundercloud forming above his head. It was a comic display that reminded many muggleborns of cartoons from childhood. Ally directed her wand sharply at Harry and the storm of spells swept forward attacking him at once with various curses, jinxes and the occasional hex. Harry disappeared from view beneath the wealth of spells and for half a second it looked like he would be overcome.

A lightning bolt arched out of the melee and struck Ally in the chest. The storm around Harry dispersed and he emerged with a stagger and a guttural grunt that was actually a spell. Crackling from the power of the lightning bolt, Ally battered the spell away and launched herself at Harry. She collided bodily with him, taking him down to land hard on the platform. He used his weight against her and rolled them so he was on top.

He rose to his knees and shot her point blank in the face with a stunner. He stumbled away from her and had just gotten to his feet when she shook it off and leapt after him. A bludgeoning hex caught his left knee and he stumbled with the sudden pain. Ron was just glad Harry still had a leg left after that blow.

A startled yelp drew his attention to his left where and third year was trying to help a friend undo a stray curse. Ron shot the simple counter charm at him and continued to focus on the match. Harry's leg snapped out and caught Ally a blow to the back of her knee which sent her tumbling forward. He didn't follow through, choosing instead to take a step back and throw a jinx at her he'd been meaning to try out. In theory it was supposed to create a static charge around you that caused all of you spells to fizzle. It bounced back off her shield and slammed into Fred who was completely unprepared for such a thing and was only saved from a week of being unable to do magic by one of his own inventions (shield underwear).

Ron's eyes darted quickly across to his brother and widened at the strange jig he was suddenly performing. Apparently, the underwear had protected him but that was it for them. His pants appeared to be smoking slightly. Ron winced in sympathy but was secretly glad Harry had never levelled that spell at him.

His eyes darted back and forth, watching as first Harry then Ally tossed spells at each other. There was no clear moment of decision; no sign that they were taking the time to identify what spells were being thrown at them. Ron thought it might have had something to do with knowing each other so well but also feared that both were trusting in their shields and ability to dodge more than they really should have been.

That was when the world turned green. Harry dropped so suddenly Ron thought he'd been beaten. Instead, Harry landed in a crouch and slammed the tip of his wand into the platform. He never said a word or shouted any spell as far as Ron could tell but a sudden extreme force blew out from the platform knocking him, and everyone else, off their feet.

The sky danced emerald green as students and teachers struggled to pick themselves up. It wasn't a spell Ron recognised but it was certainly effective. As far as he could tell every single person had been knocked off their feet. Some had even been knocked unconscious by the force of their landing on the ground.

In the middle of it all Harry and Ally continued to fight.

**

* * *

**

The exhilaration he felt at once more being able to properly spar with Ally was far greater than he would have expected. It hadn't really been all that long and they'd both been kind of busy but as he slammed his wand into the platform he couldn't help but relish the opportunity.

Though he'd harboured some hope the spell would incapacitate her, he wasn't surprised or even unhappy when Ally stood her ground and simple directed the power of his spell around her. He was vaguely aware of the crowd around him having to pick themselves up but all of that was background noise. Here he was fighting with Ally, wand and fist, going at it just like they had all those months spent in the trunk. He was a little disappointed they couldn't use more of their phoenix abilities as it had been just as long not using those against each other. It would have to wait for another time and another less public opportunity. They couldn't have Dumbledore discovering all of their secrets, or Malfoy for that matter.

Even as his mind raced with thoughts of previous fights they'd shared he was still completely focused on this one. He was at least thankful Ally couldn't pull something like the snog Daphne and Ron had engaged in because she always came out on top of those. She hadn't even whispered anything mildly suggestive in his ear and he wasn't sure whether he should be a little disappointed or relieved.

Then she got him in the chest with a whipping hex and he was more than grateful she couldn't distract him in any other ways. The spell ripped through his shields and he felt the burn spread across his chest as it struck, imitating the smack of leather on flesh. It only hurt for a moment and the dull ache that followed was easy to ignore when she'd moved on to attempting to encase his body in ice.

That one he rebounded on her and, though she moved out of its path, she wasn't quite fast enough. She ended up with one booted foot encased in an icy shell. She solved the problem, not with a counter spell, but by lifting her foot and slamming it hard against the platform. Her enhanced strength allowed for enough force to shatter the ice tomb. He slammed a scorching hex into her wand hand while she was distracted and had the satisfaction of watching it slip from her fingers.

A quick flick of his wand sent it skidding across the platform and into Snape's startled grip. Snape threw it back immediately but Ally was already reaching for her knife. She slipped the wand into her boot and smiled at him sweetly, knife glinting in the fading afternoon light. It wasn't the knife that told him he was seriously screwed but the smile.

He didn't relinquish his wand, choosing to keep it in his hand rather than draw his own knife. She lunged at him and his arm automatically came up to block the blow. Getting stabbed wasn't high on his list of things to experience any time soon. She moved quickly into a series of strikes that he continued to block.

She never grew tired or frustrated, one of the biggest flaws when it came to launching attacks. Each attack was as controlled as the last and, were he anyone else, he would have tired of the game a long time ago. He caught her wrist in his grip and squeezed tightly, hoping to make her grip on the knife uncomfortable even as he threw a spell at her legs.

The spell never connected, bouncing harmlessly off a shield and she snapped her leg out, stomping on his foot. It would have been more effective in heels but it did its job. Harry's foot slipped and she was able to get free. She drew back, aiming a sharp quick blow to his chest. He moved to block it—

_...screams. High pitched laughter. Children crying. So much smoke and the uncontrollable happiness he had long associated with a successful attack...._

—and faltered, the sudden blinding insight into Voldemort's head causing him to lose focus for crucial seconds. He tried to dodge the blow and Ally tried to change direction but it was too late. The knife slid effortlessly into the right side of his chest, tearing through muscle and hitting bone.

He heard screams, these not from his head but form the crowd around him. He was aware, vaguely, of people running toward him but none of it mattered. He stepped forward, grabbed onto Ally's arm and flamed.

They had places to be.

**a/n: **yeah, i'm so dead, aren't i?


	57. Chapter 51

**a/n: **i was completely blown away by the number of reviews for the last chapter. i hope you enjoy this one just as much. let me know what you think.

**Chapter 51**

Hermione's heart dropped like a stone and settled somewhere near her knees. It had happened so quickly she couldn't even be sure it had happened, at least that's what she wanted to believe. The sudden swell of panic and fear surrounding her said otherwise. It may have been quick but it had most definitely happened. The entire school had been lucky enough to witness their DADA professor stab Harry Potter in the chest.

She'd been on entirely the wrong angle to tell whether the blow was fatal but then she wasn't sure that really made any difference. Harry had been stabbed and being stabbed couldn't ever be good. She knew she was white as a sheet and that she was crying but she didn't care. Her best friend had vanished and despite telling her time and time again that Martin was one of the good guys she had just stabbed him.

Amidst the chaos, Dumbledore swept onto the platform a swirl of fury. She had never seen his eyes so cold, even at such a distance she could clearly see the ever present sparkle had been swept away by a tide of raw anger. There was probably a lot of fear there as well, fear that Harry had been taken, fear that Voldemort would soon have him.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find that Ginny standing behind her. Unlike Hermione, Ginny didn't look at all distraught. In fact, despite the situation and the terror around her Ginny looked perfectly calm. Hermione wanted to shout at her, to scream about Ginny's unfeeling attitude but before she could Ron stepped forward and addressed the gathered ADADA members.

Ron had his back to the platform where Dumbledore and the other teachers were searching desperately for any hint of what had been done to Harry or where he had gone. How was also a question Hermione would have loved an answer to. At the moment, her desire to know how every bit of magic was done was hidden beneath her fear for Harry.

'Daphne, go to Molly. No one gets in, use Tilly and call Dobby if you have to.'

Daphne nodded and melted away into the crowd before Hermione had fully processed what Ron was saying. 'Ron!' she gasped, confused, scared. Angry.

He ignored her. 'Susan, go to the Ministry, you know what to do.'

She nodded and slipped away into the crowd, heading, not toward the castle like Daphne had, but toward the Forbidden Forest. It presented the closest edge of the wards and the quickest way to apparate to the Ministry. Hermione knew all of this, she'd seen them do it before, apparate without a license but that didn't mean she understood what was happening.

'Ginny, Fred, George, we're stuck here.'

'Dumbledore,' the twins said in unison, rolling their eyes.

Ron continued on, acknowledging his brothers' words with nothing more than a shared eye roll. 'The rest of you, find Harry and Ally. With a knife in his chest they're going to need all the help they can get. Go.'

They left, all at once and yet one at a time. It seemed, to Hermione, that they went from standing around her to fading gradually into the crowd in the blink of an eye. Then she was left, alone with more than a hundred students overcome with fear and with no idea what was going on or what had happened.

She couldn't even take comfort in the knowledge that the ADADA didn't look concerned. She knew them well enough to know that very little fazed them, Harry could be dead and until the fight was over they wouldn't react. Well, she knew that wasn't true and she'd probably feel bad for thinking it later but for the moment it made her feel better.

For the second time a gentle hand fell on her shoulder and this time she spun around with a small shriek. Professor McGonagall regarded her with the tiniest twitch of her lips suggesting that she was in some way, perhaps a little, amused. Like the ADADA McGonagall did not look as fearful as the other students and teachers. In fact, Hermione rather thought she looked...exasperated?

'Come with me, Miss Granger, the headmaster would like to speak with you.'

Wordlessly, Hermione followed McGonagall as she led the way through the crowd. With a few loud bangs from his wand, Dumbledore silenced the students and sent them on to their house common rooms. With McGonagall ahead of her Hermione was the first student back inside the castle. The halls behind her filled with the roar of a hundred whispered voices but McGonagall never paused and as such Hermione had no chance to look back.

Not that looking back at the other students could have told her anything. Just that it would have allowed her to see how everyone else was reacting and more importantly what was being said about it. She'd seen the way the wizarding world had reacted when it first came out what allegedly happened during the third task. She didn't want Harry returning to something like that when none of it had been his fault.

McGonagall slowed to a stop and for the first time Hermione realised where her professor had been leading her. They stood before the gargoyle outside of the moving staircase that led up to Dumbledore's office. Hermione hadn't seen Dumbledore pass them in the corridor but when dealing with Albus Dumbledore she knew that didn't mean much. It didn't even mean much when you were talking about the Weasley twins, those boys knew the castle better than anyone with perhaps the exception of Sirius and Harry.

The gargoyle jumped aside and Hermione was about to step onto the staircase when Dumbledore swept up behind her. She jumped aside automatically to let him pass first and tried not to cringe when he shot her a look that she supposed was meant to be amused. It came off a bit watery, reminding her why she was feeling so rotten.

Dumbledore moved swiftly up the stairs and Hermione followed as quickly as she dared. She'd just rounded the first bend when Snape arrived at the foot of the staircase and exchanged a tight grimace that was supposed to be a smile with McGonagall. There was something about the look that Hermione caught out of the corner of her eye that brought to mind the saying "the shit has hit the fan".

She didn't want to dwell on the why and didn't have to as she walked right into Dumbledore's suddenly frozen back and likely would have tumbled back down the stairs were it not for Professor McGonagall's firm hand at her back.

Sucking back in the startled yelp, she peered around Dumbledore to get a look at what had so surprised him. Her eyes went round and her jaw dropped open. Fred was leaning casually against a bookcase behind Fawkes' perch; George was crouched before the fire, tossing what looked like the flammable contents of his pockets onto the flames. Ginny was fiddling with whichever one of Dumbledore's knickknacks caught her fancy and Ron sat opposite the large desk, feet propped on its surface, hands clasped lightly in his lap.

Not what she had been expecting and from the way Dumbledore had ground to a startled halt, not something he had anticipated either.

'If you could please have a seat, Miss Granger.'

Apparently, while she'd been busy trying to comprehend what she was seeing Dumbledore had comprehended, processed and begun moving. He was lowering his wary frame into his chair by the time she'd regained enough control over her body to move. She moved quickly to the vacant chair beside Ron and shot him a bewildered and mildly threatening look.

Snape moved to stand beside George at the fire and McGonagall took up a position behind Ron. If Dumbledore noticed the subtle marking of sides he didn't mention it. Instead, he turned suddenly cold eyes on Ron. Hermione shivered, aware that under such intense scrutiny she would have gladly told Dumbledore everything he wanted to know. Ron, however, remained firm and went so far as to casually remove his feet from the desk. Every movement suggested he was doing so only because he wanted to.

'Can any off you tell me what has happened to Harry?'

'He was stabbed by a knife, left side of the chest. Didn't look particularly fatal,' it was Ron the question was truly directed at so Ron who answered. Admittedly in a tone that was designed to irritate.

If he could have gritted his teeth, Hermione imagined Dumbledore would have been just a step away from grinding. However he wasn't one to show his emotions in such a way so he continued to look intensely at Ron.

'Don't,' Ginny said coldly, her voice breaking the heavy silence that had followed Ron's words like the crack of a whip. 'Our minds are not a park for you to walk through.'

Hermione stiffened, a horrible suspicion forming in her mind.

'Miss Weasley,' Dumbledore began in an infuriatingly patronising tone.

'I said don't,' Ginny hissed. 'I've had Voldemort walking through my mind; you think I didn't build up some basic defences?'

Honestly, the thought had never occurred to Hermione and by the slight widening of Dumbledore's it had never occurred to him either. Though now that she brought it up it did seem like a stupid thing to have overlooked. Ginny had spent a year fighting with a piece of Voldemort, it stood to reason that a battle taking place in her mind would have required her to build even some rudimentary shields in order to fight back.

'It is pointless to try, headmaster,' Snape acknowledged. 'I have spent many hours preparing these students for such an invasion.'

Hermione turned completely in her chair and gaped at the potions master. Each knew word spoken aloud opened up a slew of questions she wanted to ask the ADADA members. She could just imagine the kind of training they were really getting that they hadn't let her see. Perhaps she should truly look at how the ADADA was reacting to the Harry issue and believe their calm.

'Severus?'

It was, instead, McGonagall, who answered. 'We did warn you, Albus,' she spoke gently. 'Severus, Ally and I spoke to you at length regarding the consequences of your orders.'

Hermione was the only one confused by this. She looked around at the ashen colour of Dumbledore's face, the nodding heads of half the previous headmasters of Hogwarts in their portraits and even the solemn nods of the Weasley children.

'He has fallen, Minerva, at the very hands you trusted.'

At this McGonagall actually snorted, a response Dumbledore clearly had not been expecting. 'I can assure you Albus that Harry Potter will never fall at the hands of Alexandria Martin.'

Bewildered by her certainty Hermione narrowed her eyes in a glare at Ron which suggested there would be a unique form of pain in his future if he showed too much knowledge of what McGonagall was speaking of. He ignored her but that was alright because she was perfectly aware that Ron knew a lot more than she did about everything Harry did.

'I fear, my dear McGonagall, that your faith may be misplaced in Professor Martin. The woman just stabbed Harry!'

McGonagall gave Dumbledore a look that said, quite clearly, _your point?_

Hermione glanced around at the rooms other occupants, hoping for some clue as to McGonagall and Ron's certainty. Her eyes fell to Fred beside Fawkes' perch and then some bizarre feeling urged her to look at Fawkes. She stared at the bird for a few minutes just listening as the conversation flowed around her before looking back at Fred. She glanced at him just in time to catch the suggestive eyebrow waggle he was giving George. She narrowed her eyes and caught his gaze.

He winked.

With sudden and complete certainty—and a good deal of incredulity—the puzzle pieces slipped into place. And Hermione did something she had never done in her life.

'You've got to be fucking kidding me!'

Ordinarily she'd have been mortified at the mere thought of swearing in front of two teachers and the headmaster but right at that moment she had more pressing things to be concerned about. She had a whole forest of answers in her head, formed from dozens of connections made and all because of Fred's stupid suggestive eyebrow waggle.

And it was a stupid waggle, not just because he'd pulled a face while doing it but because of what it implied. Because of all the answers that had just knocked down the door in Hermione's head and refused to be ignored any longer. And that's what she'd been doing. She'd had the answers in front of her the whole time but she'd been so sure that something suspicious and possibly involving Voldemort was going on that she'd forgotten, for far longer than a moment, that they were still human.

Harry Potter may have been The Boy Who Lived, he may have seen to the downfall of Voldemort fourteen years ago but he was essentially just a teenage boy. Hermione had devoted as much time to figuring out the inner workings of a boys mind as any other girl her age had, only she'd been looking at it a different way. She wasn't looking at it and trying to find out if the boy she liked liked her in return, not in the case of Harry anyway. What she'd been doing was trying to help a grieving friend, she'd been looking at it that way.

What she should have done was look at it as Ron was looking at it because when she did that the answer became so bloody obvious it was a wonder Ron hadn't called her stupid more often. How could she have been so completely blind? He'd dropped so many hints whether intentional or not that the answer was practically lit up in neon lights.

The girl he'd met over the summer. The smirk and suggestive comments he'd shared with Ron. The flirting and friendly banter. The almost killing of a Hufflepuff seventh year who had made a crack about open legs. The numerous other students that had been hurt in _her_ defence by a very cold Harry.

'I am such an idiot!'

'Miss Granger?'

Hermione blinked and was once more back in the headmaster's office. Dumbledore peered at her over the top of his glasses. None of the fear or cold anger had disappeared but there was a hint that maybe, just maybe, she had thought of something that could give him answers.

No one said anything about her swearing but Ginny was trying and failing not to snigger.

She opened her mouth to speak and then snapped it shut. Other thoughts aligned themselves and she began to see the full picture for the first time. Professor McGonagall standing up for Harry and lying to Dumbledore. Snape—_Snape_—of all people siding with Harry and keeping things from Dumbledore. The entire ADADA working hard to remain outside of Dumbledore's notice—for the most part. And other names, names she'd overheard. Ruby Reid, Tonks, Sirius. Madam Bones. Other Ministry officials, peoples high up and down low in the scheme of things. All of these people who had so completely aligned themselves with Harry and who had promised, even if no words had been spoken, to never speak of it to Dumbledore unless as a whole they agreed.

This big picture she was seeing was so much more complex than she would ever have given Harry credit for. She wasn't going to pretend to understand everything he had done or why he felt so strongly about hiding from Dumbledore but she knew him well enough, trusted him and every one of the people standing around her enough to believe.

So she lied, directly to Albus Dumbledore's face with unwavering certainty. She believed in Harry Potter and what he stood for, she believed in what he could do and what he was offering the wizarding world. Because he never shielded her from the war, because he never told her she couldn't do something. Because when she asked for help he gave it. Without thinking, without hesitation.

For the first time Hermione knew they would win this war against Voldemort and it would be in a fight led, not by a battle wary old man who fought for the light because it was light but by the young boy who fought for the light because he believed in what it represented.

Luna had once told her that light was not something to hide behind but something to thrust into the shadows. At the time she'd been knee deep in difficult translations so she hadn't been paying too much attention and actually hadn't been sure Luna was even talking to her. Now, though, she was beginning to understand.

'You're worried,' she said suddenly and the others in the room frowned, not having been privy to her thoughts and for the most part concerned she was going a little crazy by sitting so quietly with a look of intense concentration on her face.

'You're worried,' she repeated, looking Dumbledore in the eye. 'Because every time you look at him you see him doing what you never could. He's embracing the darkness and he's using it. He's killed people and it terrifies you but not for the reasons you tell yourself. It doesn't scare you because of that connection to Voldemort, it doesn't scare you because you fear the kind of dark magic he could learn. It scares you because you could never do it.'

'Miss Granger,' Dumbledore spoke, his voice heavy with age and wisdom and a promise of lies. 'You are mistaken. I have seen what people with this kind of power have done, what they have turned to.'

'Yes, you have,' she agreed. 'You see Mad Eye Moody every day, walk side by side with him knowing that he will kill easily and readily when he has to. He has never once strayed from the light.'

She got to her feet and the Weasley's moved to the door with her without prompting. She said something she never would have said before, had she not been so buoyed by revelations.

'He's not Tom please stop treating him like he is.'

She left then and made it as far as the next floor before her knees got a bit wobbly and she slid weakly to the floor.

'Oh, Merlin! I can't believe I did that.'

She was suddenly engulfed in a massive hug and her air supply became a little short. All of the Weasley's were talking over each other and she had no idea what any of them were saying. When they finally released her she could see they were all grinning like idiots.

'That was brilliant!' George whooped.

He hugged her again and then Ginny shoved him out the way and hugged her even tighter. When she finally let go Hermione said what she had been dying to say since she'd first seen the eyebrow waggle.

'Harry and Professor Martin?'


	58. Chapter 52

**a/n: **well this chapter nearly killed me. it was rewritten so many times i wanted to hit somebody. so here it is, finally ready for posting. polease review so i can read your thoughts.

**Chapter 52**

As the fastest runner in the ADADA, the task fell to Emmy to make the trip up to the ADADA room and back to the Hogsmeade tunnel. She took stairs three at a time and blasted tapestry's out of her way as she took the fastest route. There wasn't a single member of the ADADA that didn't know Harry was headed for a big fight. He wouldn't have disappeared in front of the entire student body for anything less than the chance to confront Voldemort in battle.

And if that wasn't a terrifying thought...

Emmy slid to a stop outside the ADADA with a less than graceful collision with the door. She was glad no one was around to see it even if she did have the excuse of being in a hurry. She fumbled briefly with the door handle, slipping easily through the wards on the door and made her way quickly to the huge map of Britain. It didn't take long to locate the large flaming dots that represented Harry and Ally on the map.

'Oh, hell.'

She left the room just as quickly as she'd entered, snapping the door shut behind her with a flick of her wand. She took a corner a little faster than was wise and slid a few steps before she was able to regain her grip and move again. There still weren't any students in the corridors, something she was exceptionally glad about. A mass of students was something you just couldn't sprint around.

She threw herself feet first into the statue of the humped witch and pulled it shut as she tumbled down the stone slide. She landed in a crouch and took off down the passageway, hoping to catch up with the other ADADA members long before they reached the end. It took more than a little concentration to apparate to a location you didn't know and they'd need all the time they could get to visualise it correctly.

They moved faster than anticipated and she didn't meet up with them until the very last stretch of the tunnel. Panting really isn't the clearest and easiest way to impart travel instructions but she made enough out of breath references that Abby was able to pick up what she was talking about and give a better visual.

'We ready?'

Sharp nods greeted her words and then in a blink they apparated soundlessly. In a move that proved they'd had far more practice than anyone could want, they arrived in a wide ring perfectly spaced and positioned to see an attack coming from almost all directions. They were stationed around the edge of a small town square. Fairy lights lit up the outdoor area and a banner welcomed everyone to the winter fete. Soft cheerful music played in the background.

A beautiful winter scene transformed into chaos. Smoke filled the air, hanging heavy and choking over the whole village. Fires raged through houses and shops alike, the flames shooting high into the sky. The music had become nothing more than backing to the screams and crying that now filled the village. The snow on the ground was stained red with blood.

In the centre of it all Harry and Ally stood back to back amidst a cluster of Death Eaters and an array of spells. There was no sign of Voldemort but sudden sharp movement between the ADADA members signalled the arrival of the Ministry team. Tonks and Ruby led the team with Sirius between them.

For a moment no one did anything but watch Harry and Ally fight. For a number of the Ministry employees it was the first time they'd ever witnessed Harry or Ally fight all out. It was quite something to see. They slid around each other without any words needing to be exchanged. Shields would erupt to cover spells thrown at each other without a second's hesitation. The way they fought told everyone anything you needed to know about their relationship. There was no way just any old partnership could fight with such fluidity, with such trust.

In the blink of an eye, viewing time was over. It was Tonks that threw the first spell and then everything dissolved into chaos. Emmy gave a sharp nod and Steven and Jesse slipped away to search the rest of the village for Death Eaters or muggle survivors that needed immediate care. Everyone else moved forward to pick off the Death Eaters surrounding their reason for coming together.

Emmy got a young witch in the back with a blinding curse and then smack in the face when she turned around with a nasty little spell Hermione had found in the Martin Library that emulated the effect of a Dementor. The witch went down hard and Emmy struck her with an extremely strong binding spell that was nearly impossible to be freed from without the right phrase. No good simply binding her if one of her Death Eater friends could just free her again.

A spell came out of nowhere and struck her in the side, knocking the air out of her lungs and forcing her off her feet. The snarling face of a Death Eater grinned down at her but she erected a shield in time to block his spell and hit him with a charm to summon fire that clung to his clothing and skin. He rocked backwards screaming and waving his wand about frantically. She got to her feet and cut him open with a cutting curse. He hit the floor dead and the flames that had been attacking him dissipated.

She didn't bother waiting to watch that happen, instead she turned and fired a purplish spell at the nearest Death Eater who blocked it but was then hit from behind by one of the Aurors. The Death Eater shook off whatever it had been and tried to hit Emmy with a killing curse but she got him across the throat with a crushing spell that cut off his air supply and very nearly turned some bones to powder.

It wasn't a pleasant way for anyone to die but Emmy felt no remorse. If left alive she had no doubt the Death Eater would have performed spells even more cruel and torturous on any number of witches, wizards or muggles.

A sharp cry to her left alerted her to Luna's trouble and the second she spent looking cost her. A powerful spell caught her in the back and she felt a number of ribs crack. She fell to her knees unable to turn to see her attacker and was hit again, this time with the Cruciatus curse. She screamed as the spell burned through every nerve in her body and then abruptly it was cut off. She slumped forward, having just enough strength left to put her hands out to catch herself.

Then rough but gentle hands were rolling her over and Sirius' face appeared above her.

'Looks like you're out, kid.'

He pressed an emergency portkey into her hand and then stood back and activated it. She felt the familiar tug behind her navel and the last glimpse she caught of the battle was that of Sirius tearing into another Death Eater with a spell that bordered on dark.

The landing on the hospital bed was anything but soft and the startled cry of pain that escaped her was what alerted Madam Pomfrey to her presence. Darkness filled her vision as Pomfrey went to work and then she was unconscious.

**

* * *

**

'We've lost Emmy,' Sirius reported, when a duel brought him close enough to one of the twins. 'Sent her back to Pomfrey with what looked like four broken ribs.'

Fred nodded sharply and then executed the Death Eater he was duelling with a sharp jab of his wand that stopped her heart. Dimly, he wandered why that one wasn't on the unforgivable list; it certainly had the same overall effect of deadness. A scream, much closer than those of the fleeing muggles had Fred whipping round, a spell tumbling off his lips and striking at a Death Eater hovering over a fallen member of the MLE.

Fred hurried to his side, batting away a spell and setting it on its owner. He crouched behind the fallen wizard and a cursory glance told him it was bad but not more than halfway dead. One of his arms was broken and he had a long deep cut that stretched from his left shoulder to his left knee.

'We've got one for St Mungo's!' Fred shouted as a general warning, he didn't think anyone was going to be free enough to do anything. 'This is going to hurt,' he warned before he pressed one of the special portkeys into the fallen man's uninjured hand.

He took a step back and killed another Death Eater with the same heart-stopping spell he'd used just moments before. The witch fell to reveal a bruised and bleeding Abby who offered him a wink before she tore off out of the square after a wizard who'd forgone the idea of apparation as was trying to run for it. He didn't get very far before she got him in the back with a blue spell that cleaved right through his shield and ripped his back open.

Something wet splashed across the side of his face and Fred turned just in time to see a Death Eater that had been sneaking up on him fall. Ruby had slashed him across the side with a spell that almost cut him in half.

She offered him a wink and then slid away to help out an Auror who was struggling with two Death Eaters. For just a moment Fred had an amusing thought about the kind of women the ADADA associated with but then he was forced to roll out of the way of a killing curse.

'This is going to be a long night.'

Something struck him in the back of the leg and Fred's world turned all wobbly and yellow.

**

* * *

**

Jesse felt a bit like an animal on the prowl. He and Steven were stalking through the fire lit streets of the village looking for any signs of more Death Eaters or injured muggles that needed help. Or as was more and more becoming the case, those that _could_ be helped.

Giggling up ahead made them speed up and when they got close enough to identify the source of the sound Jesse felt what little he'd had for lunch rebel. A slight witch dressed in the darks robes and mask of a Death Eater was giggling while she watched her work unfold. Standing before her with wide horrified eyes a muggle man was frozen, unable to move more than his eyes. His frozen position ensured he could look nowhere but the crumpled form of his wife.

That he was frozen meant he could not move to help her. He stood still as a statue, tears of frustration, anger, _horror_, tumbling down his cheeks. His wife lay crumpled on the ground, tiny cuts littered her body but it was a huge and gaping hole in her stomach that was bleeding slowly but surely toward her death.

Steven hit the Death Eater in the back with a spell Healers sometimes used to end the suffering of extreme cases. Its use was bastardised in this situation but an ending far too good for the torturous Death Eater. Jesse walked straight passed the falling Death Eater and the husband and went to kneel beside the sobbing and dying woman.

'You're okay,' he whispered soothingly. 'My names Jesse, I'm going to do what I can to stop this bleeding, alright?'

The woman looked at him with frightened eyes but she nodded slowly. Behind him he could hear Steven talking calmly with the still frozen husband. It would be no good freeing him if he was going to fight them and prevent them from helping the woman.

Steven tore a piece of the witch's robe off and handed it to him to use as a pressure pad. While he placed as much pressure on the bigger wound as he dared, Jesse healed the minor cuts and assessed her for any further damage. With every move he made he talked to her, trying to keep her calm and ensuring she didn't fear him like she had the witch.

'Okay, I'm going to release the pressure on your stomach so I can get a better look. It might hurt you but I need to make sure it's not cursed.'

'Luke,' she gasped.

Jesse guessed she was asking after her husband and he quickly exchanged silent but serious conversation with Steven who nodded briefly before releasing the man from the body bind. Once free he skirted nervously around Steven, not able to trust anyone holding a wand after what he had seen. He crouched beside his wife and took her hand, kissing her temple gently and whispering words of comfort.

While he kept her distracted Jesse checked the wound. A good look at it showed him that the witch had in fact applied a spell to slow the bleeding. Her plan to torture the husband and wife at the same time had actually worked in the woman's favour. If he removed the spell the woman would easily bleed out in a matter of minutes. It wasn't near enough time to get her anywhere that would be able to provide help.

For one long, seemingly endless, moment Jesse locked eyes with the husband. He may not have been able to get a look at his watch while frozen but he had maintained some sense of time passing. Jesse could see it in his eyes that the man understood just how little time his wife may have left.

Jesse had no option but to take her to St Mungo's. As the victim of a magical attack she had every right to be treated there but her husband would likely not be allowed. That was going to make what had to happen all the more difficult.

'I can save her,' Jesse told him frankly. 'But you can't come where I'm going.'

'I'm not letting you take her,' he answered sharply, bending over her protectively.

'If you don't she will die.'

'How can I trust you after what I've seen people like you do?'

Jesse's eyes never left the man as he replied; they never once strayed to Steven as he moved up behind the man.

'You can't.'

And then Steven yanked the man away from his wife and Jesse activated the portkey that would take him directly to one of their contacts at St Mungo's. The man's scream of rage faded as the hook grabbed Jesse behind his navel and pulled.

**

* * *

**

Long ago when she had first begun to lead this type of life, Ally would have been appalled by the rush that was shooting through her. Now, almost two hundred and fifty years later, she was perfectly willing and capable of accepting that whatever had been done to her with that mix of venom and phoenix blood it had made her for this life. She'd tried her hand at enough jobs to know that no matter what she did or where she went she would always be a fighter at heart.

Standing back to back with Harry, she felt the familiar rush of exhilaration that flowed through her. This was what she was made for and Merlin she was going to enjoy it.

She cut down another Death Eater with a curse that was so dark it really should have been included as an unforgivable. There were so many spells like that; having just three unforgivable curses was as much a design flaw as it was a way to keep the population in the dark of some much worse curses. Voldemort's own arsenal was jammed full of horrific curses whose effects were far worse than a simple quick death.

The evidence of this arsenal, imparted to a Death Eater, ripped directly through her shield and impacted with her shoulder. A sharp spine of ice formed though her shoulder and began to spread cold throughout her body. Something that could easily have killed another witch in moments was easily undone by a burst of flames. She set her whole body alight, melting the ice. Magical ice, it turned out, could be melted with magical fire.

Unfortunately her magical fire ignited something that had fallen to the ground by her foot. She couldn't tell what it was but out of reflex she kicked it toward the nearest Death Eater. It exploded in a shower of orange light that bathed the entire Square. Death Eaters and ADADA alike flung their arms up to protect their eyes.

When the orange light faded all that was left of the Death Eater in the middle of the explosion was a pile of sand. The ADADA and Ministry workers were the first to recover and, in the split second longer it took the Death Eaters, final spells were cast and the Square fell silent but for the soft thud of bodies hitting the ground.

'Did we lose anyone?' Harry's voice cut through the silence.

'The two Aurors on duty,' Tonks replied, already moving to separate the dead muggles form the Death Eaters.

'Oh.'

At which point Harry's eyes rolled back into his head and his body crumpled into unconsciousness. Ally moved swiftly to his side but she knew before she had even touched him he was alive. He was cold to the touch, something that was never a good sign for someone who could burst into flames at will. The wound in his shoulder was still bleeding but far slower and with a lot of other fluids as well. The knife had been pulled out sometime during the fight, probably by a Death Eater trying to gain the upper hand.

The flesh was torn and angry looking, it was clear that even enhanced phoenix healing wasn't enough to fix that particular wound. Ally had no sooner looked up than Ruby was crouching by her side.

'Go, we'll finish here.'

Ally didn't need telling twice. She grabbed Harry and vanished, the dull echo of a wailing child thrumming through her entire being told her Molly was feeling everything. She just hoped whoever was with her daughter was at least mildly fireproof.


	59. Chapter 53

**a/n: **thank you to everyone who left me a lovely review, they were all appreciated. i intendted to have this up this morning but then my laptop died and i nearly had a heart attack. its working against now but jeez that was scary for a moment. anyway, read, enjoy and tell me your thoughts.

**Chapter 53**

He was tired of being kept in the dark. It was hardly a place he was used to and it was quite disconcerting to realise that the anti-Voldemort movement now revolved around a mysterious group and Harry. If he was honest about it, Dumbledore would have to admit that the fight against Voldemort was always going to end up being about Harry. Only whenever he pictured it happening, as he waited for Harry to grow up, it was after years of tutelage and guidance under his own hand and a good few years in the future.

Somewhere, somehow, he had changed the picture. Not Harry. Somewhere along the way he'd made the decision to let the boy have his childhood. After that it was a few more months then a few more years until the choice had been taken from him. No, since he was being honest, he had to admit that if what McGonagall and Snape—and if that wasn't enough of a nudge—were saying was true and that Harry had not in any way, shape or form found the Dark then truly what he was doing was embracing the destiny a prophecy had created for him.

He'd found his way toward the destiny of a destroyer all by himself and that terrified Dumbledore. The Harry he watched get stabbed after a truly impressive fight with Professor Martin seemingly had nothing holding him back. He fought with everything he had and he had, if rumour and a few choice phrases were anything to go by, no problem with killing anyone that got in his way.

That was the problem, the reason Dumbledore was so certain of Harry's tumble into darkness. The once brilliant boy, a true and loyal Gryffindor who had shown he valued life above all other and that he was intensely loyal to his friends, had become a brutal and almost callous killer. Though he may have started his life at Hogwarts different, Dumbledore feared he would end it the very same way Voldemort had all those years ago.

Perhaps if he had chosen to voice those fears to McGonagall or even Sirius as he had internally just then, he would have found the year travelling along a far different path. Instead, because of his fierce desire to hold the contents of the prophecy close to his chest, he had acted alone. Placing secret protection on Harry, limiting his communications, creating excuses to keep him inside the castle walls, everything he had done in an attempt to keep Harry safe. Everything he had tried in order to give the boy a childhood and protect him from what he was tasked by fate to do, it had all driven him to this point.

The Order was crumbling around him, half of them aligning themselves with the mystery group, the other half carrying out his orders without having any true belief in them. Harry was completely out of his control, if he looked closely enough the school was out of his control as well. So wrapped up had he been in the decline of his Order, Harry and Voldemort that he hadn't even noticed McGonagall swiftly taking the reins. The Ministry thought he was a crackpot old fool and his word meant next to nothing to the wizarding nation.

He was left with a declining reputation, a bad headache and a cold loneliness settling deep in his chest. Perhaps it was time he sat down and did nothing more than listen to what Harry had to say.

That was if he was ever found.

**

* * *

**

She hurt all over and the heavy silence that followed her everywhere she went was getting on her nerves. It wasn't that her ribs were still heavily bandaged after three days and it wasn't that she'd taken to erecting a barrier around her to prevent people bumping her in the halls. No, quite simply, it was because she was a member of the ADADA.

George was getting the same weird silent treatment and he wasn't even the Weasley twin who had made it to the battle. The weighty silences had very little to do with being injured, they even had little to do with the tournament on Saturday. They had everything to do with the disappearance of Harry Potter and his possible (though some were saying probable) death.

It was stupid and walking into the Great Hall and having the entire student body stop talking was the final straw. For days Dumbledore had been following the ADADAs every move and at every meal he had made the same speech about coming forward if you had any information that could be useful in discovering where Professor Martin had taken Harry.

Emmy was ready to have it out right then and there and probably would have confronted Dumbledore if Susan hadn't spotted the warning signs and latched onto her arm at the last minute.

'Not now,' she hissed, dragging Emmy off toward the section of the Gryffindor table the ADADA had commandeered.

A little put off that Susan had just reached right through her barrier, Emmy had to concede that maybe she was also a bit tired and that was making her especially irritable. 'Then when?'

'Has anyone heard from him?' Susan asked the group at large.

They all shook their heads. Apart from seeing him at the battle no one had actually seen or heard from Harry since Ally had disappeared with him after he'd collapsed. Daphne and Madam Pomfrey had only then seen Ally briefly as she'd come to collect Molly from their care.

Tired and burnt right up the side of her neck and face, Daphne had been all too happy to hand Molly over to her mother without asking questions. It was only now, after three days of not knowing, that she was beginning to wish she'd bothered to ask.

'Found him!' Stephanie hissed, throwing herself down beside Emmy and sliding a few inches along the bench when she accidentally came in contact with her barrier spell. 'Ruby just reported in, he spent Saturday night and most of Sunday at Martin Manner and then the four of them—that's Harry, Ally, Ruby and Sirius—went abroad to do something I'm not all clear on that Charlie learned about. Molly's with Tonks.'

She said it all in a rushed whisper so that some of the ADADA members not close enough had to have the story repeated to them before they were up on events.

'Well great,' Emmy griped. 'Will he be back any time soon? Only I'm this close to killing Dumbledore.' She held her fingers a hairs breadth apart to demonstrate how close she was to snapping at the headmaster.

Because, when Emmy's temper gave way Death Eaters generally ended up dead, Abby and Susan joined forces to drag her out of the Great Hall and off to her first class. She wasn't happy about being dragged around and her ribs were certainly putting up a protest but that was okay because they got no further than the Entrance Hall before an opportunity was presented to her to relieve some of her tension.

Draco Malfoy was reclining lazily against a wall smirking in a decidedly unpleasant and smug fashion. Crabbe and Goyle leaned against the wall beside him but failed to emulate his casual pose and nasty smirk.

'Do you really think he's still alive?' Malfoy's voice was loud enough to draw the attention of everyone in the Entrance Hall and quite a few who were seated at the very ends of the house tables. It was remarkable how he could pull that kind of volume off without appearing to shout. 'That whore Martin probably dumped his body in a ditch.'

Emmy hit him in the face with a stinging hex and then jabbed him in the stomach with a simple spell that mirrored the effects of a good punch. It all happened in a flash, far too fast for Malfoy's goons to comprehend and by the time they had drawn their wands Malfoy was already slumped on the ground gasping for air.

'Harry isn't dead,' Emmy assured Malfoy, stalking rather nastily toward him. 'And Professor Martin is not a whore.'

She shot two body binds at Crabbe and Goyle and then stalked off to class before someone could pin it on her and give her a detention. Or three.

Susan rolled her eyes at Malfoy and followed Emmy while Abby crouch on the floor in front of him. She made sure his attention was completely on her before she punched him in the face.

'Ask your father where your mother is.'

Parting shot nicely delivered, she returned to the Great Hall for a little more breakfast and to wait for Ginny and Luna. Unlike Emmy she wasn't lucky enough to get off punishment free and she'd just gotten her hands on a nice piece of toast and jam when Professor Sprout swooped down on her and gave her a detention for breaking another student's nose.

She didn't bother to argue, just promised to be in Greenhouse One at seven o'clock that night.

And so the day progressed. There was still no sign of Harry or Ally and Dumbledore got more and more frustrated as the day wore on. At one point Anadina Smith slipped into a painting outside the girls' bathroom on the second floor to give Hermione a bit of news that Dumbledore now had the Order out looking for Harry in some known Death Eater haunts.

Hermione felt a small twinge of guilt that Order members were being placed in unnecessary danger but she wasn't sure what she could safely tell Dumbledore without falling out with Harry and the ADADA. She knew it wasn't right to keep him so in the dark, especially under such circumstances where he was so clearly terrified for Harry. There was nothing she was prepared to do however and she took comfort in knowing that those going on these trips were well qualified Aurors.

Dumbledore himself took the days DADA classes. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that he was taking them on the off chance they would reveal something about Professor Martin that could help them find Harry.

His first class consisted of those seventh years who had determined to continue on with DADA. Dumbledore picked up a copy of the textbook sitting on Ally's desk and opened it to a page approximately where he felt they should have completed by this point in the term. He called on one of the students (not from the ADADA) to demonstrate the spell he'd chosen roughly at random and felt more than a little irked when she performed the spell perfectly and without hesitation.

'Miss Spinnet, please describe to me the topics you have covered this year so far.'

Alicia launched into a quick but thorough description of relearning all of the spells they should have known from their first through sixth years before admitting that they'd already finished the seventh year portion of the text book and were now focusing on combining all of the material to be a highly effective and skilled defender.

'We just did another bit on healing spells and Ministry regulations,' she finished helpfully.

'What sort of Ministry regulations were you learning?' Dumbledore questioned.

He was more than a little troubled to discover that his Defence professor was far from the murderous witch he had turned her into since her disappearance. Ally Martin was greatly adored by all of her students and appeared, by all accounts, to be a highly competent teacher.

For the first time in years Dumbledore felt sure his students would ace the Defence Against the Dark Arts NEWTS on both the written and practical exams. He didn't like thinking good thoughts about her when there was still no sign of Harry.

'Oh, she just taught us what to do once you've incapacitated or killed any Death Eaters.'

'Ah.'

For Dumbledore, taking DADA turned out to be an altogether unpleasant experience.

**

* * *

**

'No one's seen him, Albus,' Moody announced Thursday night at Order headquarters. 'We've looked everywhere, Dung's asked around all the usual and some not so usual places.'

'It's like he's vanished,' Hestia added.

Molly Weasley gave a strangled sound and tried not to show just how much Harry's disappearance was affecting her. They were all feeling it, the whole Order carrying the uncertain feeling that came with losing the man—alright boy—that had been their one hope that one day Voldemort could be defeated.

In fact the only ones who seemed completely unaffected by Harry's disappearance were Snape and Tonks. Snape because he never looked like anything affected him and Tonks because...well Mrs Weasley wasn't too sure why Tonks didn't look concerned. It drew her attention to Tonks like a moth to a flame and she studied the young Auror intensely for any sign to explain her calm behaviour.

She wasn't the only one studying Tonks. Lupin had noticed Tonks' calm the moment she'd entered the basement kitchen from the room she'd commandeered as her own upstairs. He didn't dwell on the reason for her move out of her small apartment and into a spare room just down the hall from Sirius; he put it up to liking the company and having free room.

Still, a free room in headquarters did not give her a reason to be so sure Harry was fine. If it weren't for the fact that Sirius too was missing (a fact Dumbledore and the rest of the Order had yet to notice) Lupin would have been more concerned himself. While Tonks had fed them all a line about Sirius brooding up in the attic with Buckbeak, Remus knew for a fact that his friend was not anywhere in the house at all.

So Sirius was missing at the same time as Harry and Tonks knew all about it. The question most worrying Lupin was how to bring it up, how to find out for sure what was happening and how to-

A loud bang sounded from the hallway, making everyone jump and those who were even more on edge to draw their wands. The sound of Sirius' bark like laugh filled the hallway and another laugh, a feminine chuckle that quickly dissolved into hysterical giggles soon joined in

Lupin was on his feet in an instant, beat to the door only by a suddenly spry Dumbledore and Tonks who was out of the kitchen in a flash.

Out in the hallway, Sirius was doubled over and laughing wholeheartedly while leaning against a blonde woman Lupin had never met but had heard a great deal about over the last few months. To say he was surprised would have been an understatement, as far as he knew there had been no chance for Sirius to meet her and certainly no point at which Dumbledore revealed the secret of Order headquarters to her.

Of course the question of how she had gotten around the Fidelus charm wasn't near as pressing a concern as to the fact that she and Sirius were laughing like they'd just had the time of their lives. They were both soaking wet, covered in mud and showing the signs of a good fight. As they watched Sirius, who had always been a bit mad, and Ruby (frequently spoken of with fear) moved together as he led her about in the wobbly steps of a waltz.

If they were aware they were being watched they showed no signs of it.

'Sirius Black!' Mrs Weasley's shriek cut through the carefree atmosphere surrounding Sirius and Ruby like a killing curse.

He looked up, mid way through dipping Ruby to stare at Mrs Weasley in surprise. He didn't look depressed or moody like he had for so much of the last year. In fact he looked happy; Lupin would even go so far as to say he looked young again. He had filled out; no longer was he the skin and bones figure he'd been when he'd escaped from Azkaban. His hair was back to its finest from the days before his imprisonment, shaggy, a slight mess and falling about his eyes with unintended perfection.

It drew Lupin up short; unsure of whether or not he wanted to ruin such happiness when Sirius' life, until recently, had been so dark and hopeless.

Sirius straightened from the dip, pulling Ruby up with him and the two stood facing the Order like misbehaving children caught in an act of disobedience.

'Has something happened?' Sirius questioned sharply, his smile wilting as he took in the haggard expressions of the Order members piling out of his kitchen.

'Has something happened?' Mrs Weasley practically shouted. 'Harry's missing and you're off gallivanting with this—this woman!'

Ruby looked affronted at the tone in Mrs Weasley's voice. 'Oi!'

'Molly, calm down, Harry's fine.'

'Fine? Fine? He was stabbed—STABBED!—in front of the entire school and then that so called professor kidnapped him!' Mrs Weasley was building up to take all of her frustrations out on Sirius when she was cut off by Ruby who stepped up into Mrs Weasley's face.

'Hey! That so called professor is my best friend and she would never hurt Harry-'

'Aside from accidentally stabbing him,' Tonks interrupted helpfully.

'-aside from the accidental stabbing,' Ruby conceded. 'She has never done anything to hurt anyone who didn't deserve it. She fought in the last war! She's seen what happens when Voldemort is in power, do you really think she would willingly take out the one man who has a real hope of killing the bastard once and for all?'

'Rubes,' Sirius placed a placating hand on her arm but it did little to calm her.

'You know nothing about Ally Martin and you know nothing about me!'

That said, she spun around and stormed off up the stairs rather than out the front door. Her ascension up the stairs was silent and not what would be expected from someone storming off in a rage.

The Order watched her go until she was out of sight and then they all turned to look at Sirius who was suddenly forced into the spotlight. Mrs Weasley looked livid, her face as red as her hair and she was still puffed up from her aborted rant. It looked like she was about to turn her attention back to Sirius when Dumbledore intervened, his face taught with suppressed fury.

Sirius wished he had gone after Ruby because he knew he'd missed his last opportunity to escape before Dumbledore's fury exploded all over him.


	60. Chapter 54

**a/n: **i know right? an update after just a week! be excited because, get this, the next chapter is already written! i've just powered out about 8000 words in the last three days so i'm hoping to continue this crazy writing frenzy and have the story finished byt he end of the week. Oh you won't get it that quickly but it will be written. anyway thank you to eveyrone who has reviewed your kind words and encouragement is awesome. and to QuietLion i never forgot about the fiance, when you said that i was like did you not catch my hint? but then i realised that of course you hadn't because it was in a chapter i hadn't posted yet. its in this one, look for it!

**Chapter 54**

Andromeda Tonks nearly had a heart attack when her daughter appeared on her doorstep with a baby. It had been a while since they'd seen each other but she didn't think it had been that long. Then Dora came in and explained she was babysitting for a friend and needed someone in turn to babysit for her while she was at an Order meeting.

Never one to pass up the opportunity to help out her daughter, Andromeda had immediately offered to watch the baby girl. She'd held her hands out to take the bundle and had been just as surprised when Dora hesitated. There was something in the way she hesitated that made Andromeda suspicious. It wasn't the sort of hesitation that came with an unwilling parting but something else.

'I should probably warn you she bursts into flames when she gets upset.'

Andromeda's hands had fallen to her side in surprise and she'd studied the ordinary little baby with a bit more care. There wasn't anything, looking at her, that appeared different to any other ordinary baby. That said, not fifteen minutes after Dora left, the small girl burst into flames for an entirely different reason.

Happiness, Andromeda discovered, also caused flames. She'd just been playing peek-a-boo and up went the sofa in flames. After she'd put out the sofa (and properly fireproofed what she could) she and little Molly had quite the enjoyable evening. Aside from the rather destructive flaming, she was a perfectly ordinary child.

A perfectly ordinary child with a very famous father it turned out.

Dora had left a list of instructions and warnings that gave Andromeda reason to believe Molly was in danger but she hadn't gone into any detail to explain what that danger was and it was only when the doorbell rang that she figured it out.

She'd never met him in person but anyone would be a fool not to recognise Harry Potter. Even if she hadn't seen his picture frequently splashed across the pages of the _Daily Prophet _and _Witch Weekly _Dora had certainly spoken of him often enough. She'd recognise the messy black hair and green eyes anywhere. She doubted people even needed the scar to confirm who he was these days.

'Hello Mrs Tonks,' Harry greeted her with a smile.

His right arm was in a sling and secured tightly to his chest. His face was pale and he was covered in scratches but he seemed healthy enough. With him was a blonde woman Andromeda didn't know. She was also covered in scratches but had no other injuries. It was easier to see, looking at the two on her doorstep, exactly where Molly got her looks from. She looked just like her mother but her eyes, her eyes were those of her father.

'Blimey,' Andromeda exhaled in response, Dora definitely hadn't prepared her for this.

The blonde woman grinned. 'I'm Ally Martin, Molly's mother.'

She was just about to step aside and let them in when she remembered Dora's warning about things like this. She was a little embarrassed but she knew her daughter would have only mentioned it if it was serious.

'I'm sorry but I was told to ask you a question before I let you in.'

She smiled a bit sheepishly but both Harry and Ally just laughed.

'Go ahead and ask, it's alright,' Harry assured her. 'We sort of expected Tonks to do something like this.'

The mention of her daughter so casually and with affection strengthened the belief that the people on her doorstep were genuine but she still felt she should ask.

'What was it that gave you away?'

Harry laughed again but Ally merely rolled her eyes. 'It was a photograph on the mantle.'

It was the correct answer and Andromeda would love to understand what exactly the question and answer meant but she thought she would be told in her own time. It didn't mean she wasn't curious, of course, but she led the pair inside and over to their daughter without asking.

'She's a beautiful little girl,' she complemented as Ally reached into the little bassinet Dora had brought with her.

'Thank you for watching her,' Harry responded. 'She can be a little difficult sometimes.'

'Yes, I nearly lost the sofa,' Andromeda agreed with a laugh. 'It's alright, though, Dora did warn me.'

Harry winced and started to apologise but she waved him off.

'Anytime you need someone to babysit you can call on me, it was fun.'

As she talked, Harry sent the bassinet away with a wave of his wand. Once that was done he pocketed his wand before he turned and lightly touched Ally's elbow.

'Thank you for the offer,' Ally smiled. 'We just might take you up on that.'

Then in a move she really should have been expecting, Harry and Ally vanished in a pillar of flames with their daughter. It was a delightful thing to watch, very dramatic and it gave Andromeda a bit of a thrill to know something like that existed.

Perhaps it was time she took more of an active role in the fight against Voldemort. She'd have to broach the topic with Dora the next time she saw her.

**

* * *

**

Most of the Order left when it became obvious he was about to have it out with Dumbledore. Only Molly and Arthur stayed because they were extremely invested in Harry and Tonks stayed because she was living with him and didn't see why she should be made to leave. Sirius could see that Remus had wanted to stay but hadn't been comfortable challenging Dumbledore so openly.

Sirius couldn't blame him; Remus owed more to Dumbledore than most. It was always going to be difficult for him to challenge Dumbledore's word with that kind of debt hanging on his shoulders.

With the Order gone, the basement kitchen looked large and unforgiving. Dumbledore stood at one end of the table, a cold fury seeping off him while Molly and Arthur sat along one side. Sirius took the end opposite from Dumbledore and Tonks happily settled into the chair beside him. It left no question to who she was siding with when everything hit the ceiling.

He was starting to feel a little cold and Sirius wasn't happy that this discussion would be taking place while he was filthy. He was soaked and muddy and he was sure there was blood all over him; it was a wonder Remus hadn't been able to smell it earlier.

Seeing him shiver slightly, Tonks hit him with a drying charm and a quick warming charm. She wasn't going to try to hit him with scourgify while Dumbledore glared down at them. No one seemed about to speak the first words and Tonks wasn't going to force anyone's hand. Not that she had to; Dumbledore sank into the chair at the end and gave Sirius a deeply disappointed look.

It might have worked on him in the old days when he and James had accidentally (on purpose) exploded the potions room but it had no affect now. Sirius had seen things far worse than a disappointed Dumbledore. He'd seen the ruin of his best friend and brother's house. He'd seen his broken but untouched body. He'd spent twelve years in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit.

Most importantly he'd met Ally Martin and Ruby Reid, he'd been secretly pardoned by Madam Bones herself, he'd seen the kind of man Harry was becoming and he was proud to have a hand in it. He was proud to fight alongside his godson and he was proud to call him a son, a brother, in all but blood.

He had nothing to be ashamed of and he was not going to let Albus Dumbledore make him feel something he shouldn't.

'You are putting yourself at great risk every time you leave this house,' Dumbledore began. 'Every time you leave this house and the protections I have placed on it you risk death or capture. Whether by Death Eaters or Aurors does not matter, what you are doing is dangerous for every member of the Order. With every step you take outside of this house you put Harry at risk.'

'Harry is always at risk,' Sirius replied evenly.

'That may be the case but I have done everything possible to minimise the chances of his capture. You risk leading Voldemort to this very doorstep every time you leave and that puts Harry at unnecessary risk.'

'Even if I were to stay here and never leave there are plenty of other people who come and go from this house that pose the same threat. Snape, even if he does it via eight different places, still travels here frequently from meetings with Death Eaters. He poses more of a threat than I do.'

Sirius kept his words simple, stating only facts as he saw them so as to not be accused of being emotionally invested. Even though he was, Dumbledore could hardly argue with the facts and so far there was nothing Sirius had said that wasn't one hundred percent true. Every member of the Order risked leading someone to Grimmauld Place every time they visited; Sirius saw no reason to be singled out.

'The other members of the Order are not escaped convicted murderers likely to be noticed and identified,' Dumbledore stated just as calmly as Sirius had been laying out his facts.

Sirius shrugged, the fact that his name had been cleared in secret meant that he could not deny Dumbledore's words. Madam Bones may have used her influence to give him a trial of sorts but it was still all very hush hush. Evidence had been presented and looked through carefully by several influential members of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement but without Wormtail to hand over or any more proof than a handful of testimonies, to the public he would remain a murderer.

He was okay with that, it gave him plenty of room to move through certain circles and gave him access to some very odd but useful information. Telling Dumbledore the truth would achieve nothing more than force Madam Bones' loyalty into the light and that was definitely something they couldn't afford.

'You underestimate what Harry is capable of,' Sirius ventured finally. 'I understand your fears, Dumbledore but I don't agree with the choices you've made.'

'I have seen Harry fight, Sirius, I watched him in the first Defence Against the Dark Arts tournament and I watched him in the second where he was defeated and stabbed by my Defence professor. It is not that I underestimate him but that I fear what his actions will result in.'

Sirius nodded once, acknowledging Dumbledore's words. 'You failed him.'

Sirius voiced the headmaster's worst fear as though he was reciting a shopping list. There was no emotion attached to the words, nothing that would suggest the impact they had on Dumbledore.

In her seat, Molly flinched. 'Sirius!' she remonstrated but her protest went unacknowledged.

'He is not the boy I had hoped he would become,' Dumbledore replied heavily, the weight of this supposed slight weighing him down until it seemed as though he were nothing more than a tired old man.

'He's better.'

'How can you say that?' Dumbledore asked. 'You haven't seen him since the summer, you haven't seen what he's become, haven't heard the things he speaks of.'

It was then, in his dingy basement kitchen at risk of Weasley wrath, Sirius bucked the trend. He took a path that hadn't yet been taken, it was risky, it was dangerous but right then he knew that if he didn't take the chance things would never again be the same.

He told the truth.

Sort of.

'I've been meeting with Harry at least once a week since October.'

He watched as his words sank in, as Molly's eye bugged out, as Arthur stiffened in his chair and as Dumbledore took the time to realise that there had been more going on right under his nose than he had ever imagined.

'There's a lot you don't know, a lot of it isn't mine to tell. We're fighting this war Dumbledore and we plan to win. If that means that Harry has to sacrifice his childhood then that's what he's willing to do. You sent him home last year, angry, scared and alone and you cut him off from his friends. You did what you thought was best without even consulting me or Molly.'

Startled by her inclusion, Molly hardly wanted to side with Sirius but this was a point she agreed with. She'd seen Harry coming off the train, she'd seen the signs that things weren't all well but she'd been stopped from doing anything by Dumbledore's firm assurances that he was doing everything he could.

'You didn't have all of the facts,' Dumbledore explained.

'No, we didn't,' agreed Sirius. 'We didn't know anything. You kept us in the dark and told us to trust you and we did. That was our mistake.'

'We were blinded by what we wanted to see,' Tonks spoke up. 'We wanted you to have all of the answers and we let you do what you had to believing that you would do what was right.'

'But you didn't,' Ruby inserted from the doorway. She was freshly showered, dressed in clean clothes and wrapped up in a Puddlemere United scarf to fight off the chill of the basement. 'Ally Martin did.'

The pieces started to slide into place in Dumbledore's mind and the picture they were creating wasn't one he was quite capable of comprehending. The image was there but the explanation was missing.

'Back when Ally was an Unspeakable she was on loan to the French Ministry,' Ruby explained, taking a seat next to Sirius and avoiding eye contact with Molly. 'One of the things she was tasked to do while she was there was set up the security surrounding the Hall of Prophecy.'

It was easy to see the way Dumbledore's eyes widened at the news, the way several unpleasant and worrying thoughts occurred to him all at once. He didn't dare interrupt Ruby as for the first time all year he was being given answers to his questions.

'Ally fought in the last war, she knew when Harry said Voldemort was back that steps had to be taken. So she went to him.'

'And when Harry started dreaming with Voldemort over the summer about a long corridor,' continued Tonks, 'Ally was able to understand what he was seeing.'

Dumbledore's cold fury at Sirius had long since dwindled but it was simmering away beneath the surface with every new piece of information he received. It was a rather diverse anger, partly directed at his own foolishness and partly directed at the people giving him long awaited answers. Sirius, Tonks and Ruby knew so much more than he ever would have given them credit for.

'They met over the summer?' was Molly's startled observation. To her it was far more important than the talk of prophecy.

Ruby grinned. 'She was waiting for him when he arrived at Privet Drive. She taught him everything he knows and introduced him to the people who could help in his task.'

'His task?' It was the only thing Dumbledore could say, he'd thought he was beyond underestimating Ally Martin but he was only just beginning to understand her.

'You weren't wrong, Dumbledore,' Sirius said. 'Harry has to kill Voldemort just not for the reasons you thought. You listened to a prophecy and you tried to shape the world around its contents. Don't make the same mistake Voldemort did. You listened and you determined to recreate the Order as a way of buying Harry the time he needed to grow and learn. You failed to grasp the one thing that would be the difference between Harry winning and Voldemort.'

'Harry himself.'

The words didn't come from Sirius or Ruby or even Tonks. They came from Arthur Weasley who had sat in silence listening to everything being said and simply absorbing it.

'It's not about the choices you make,' Arthur said the words slowly, as though he was thinking of them as he spoke. 'You can't make these choices for him Dumbledore and Professor Martin saw that. She gave him the tools to make the decision for himself. It's not about what the prophecy says or your plans, it's about Harry and the choices he makes.'

'There are plenty of people capable of finishing off Voldemort,' Sirius reminded them all. 'He is a mere man, admittedly with unknown magical enhancements. The thing is, the only one who is willing to do it, the only one who has been given the right clues, the right moments, is Harry.'

'And he'll do it,' Molly said quietly, tears choking her words. 'Because it would never occur to him not to.'

She said it with pride that the boy she had taken in as one of her own would stand up against the strongest and darkest of wizards because it was the right thing to do. He may not have been raised in the most loving home and he may not have had everything a boy should have growing up but he was one of the strongest people she had ever met. He had long since proved he would do anything and everything for the people he loved.

'He can do it, Albus. He is doing it. He's out there day after day, night after night, tracking down leads, fighting Death Eaters. He's good, he's very good.'

'That's where he's been isn't it?' Molly guessed. 'We've been worried sick and he's been off fighting Death Eaters and trying to get himself killed.'

Sirius felt it was a bit unfair of her to say he was trying to get himself killed, especially after everything that had just been said. He'd spoken a lot more than he had ever intended but he knew he had done the right thing. If nothing else then Dumbledore had needed to hear the words from someone that wasn't Harry.

'We had reports of Death Eater activities on the continent, nothing serious just stirrings but we thought it best to put a stop to things before Voldemort got a foot in over there.'

Dumbledore understood in that moment what Sirius had been trying to tell him from the very beginning of their discussion. Harry was fine, Harry's was home and he'd achieved more than the Order had recently. Apparently.

'You and Miss Reid accompanied Professor Martin and Harry to Europe to help prevent Voldemort gaining a hold there?' They nodded. 'And what of Harry's stab wound?'

'Not as bad as it looked,' Sirius dismissed. 'Practically healed already.'

After long moments of silence Dumbledore stood back from the table a sad look on his face.

'I need time to think about everything that has been uncovered here.'

Sirius waved him away, not really caring if Dumbledore gave the information time to sink in or not. What mattered to him was that for the first time since his escape he had told Dumbledore how it was and not simply followed his orders. It felt good to be free of the restrictions Dumbledore had placed on him, even if the old man still disapproved.

He just hoped he hadn't made things worse for Harry.


	61. Chapter 55

**a/n:** okay, i'm not perfectly happy with this chapter but i went over it again and again and just decided to go with it. let me know you're thoughts, as always i love to hear what you have to say.

**Chapter 55**

Against all expectations the last week of term leading up to the Christmas holidays was perfectly ordinary. There were a few small exceptions but they were hardly enough to take notice of.

Harry went down to breakfast the day after he returned to Hogwarts as though he hadn't been gone at all. When people asked him where he had been he told them he'd spent the last few days at St Mungo's healing after Ally accidentally stabbed him during the tournament. People readily accepted the excuse because he was mostly healed aside from the fact that Ally and Madam Pomfrey were still forcing him to keep his arm still so as to protect his chest wound from pulling.

It was a small annoyance but nothing really to worry about as he'd been assured the sling could be removed before the Christmas holidays began. Similarly, Emmy's ribs were healing well enough with the constant care from Madam Pomfrey that she was able to remove the barrier spell around her. She was still sore but was well enough to go back to doing what she did best, mostly annoying people but occasionally stalking Death Eaters.

Aside from the occasional aches and pains suffered from the ADADA, which really weren't unusual given what they got themselves up to, school was much the same. At least it was if you chose not to notice that Dumbledore never once came down for a meal. According to McGonagall and Snape, after his confrontation with Sirius, he'd locked himself up in his office and not come out.

Given that this worked out well in Harry's favour he wasn't too worried. He went to classes and ADADA meetings, froze to his broomstick out on the Quidditch pitch at least once and spent plenty of time playing with Molly. He spent time with Ally and his friends and didn't focus once on what was going to happen when Dumbledore finally came down from his office and decided it was time he and Harry had it out properly.

Having it out properly with Hermione was something completely unavoidable. She grabbed him by the ear as soon as he was done with breakfast that first day back and dragged him up to the ADADA room. When he warned her she was going to be late for class she told him to shut it and then turned on him.

'How could you not tell me?' she demanded. 'I thought you trusted me and then I find out that this whole time you've been having a relationship with Professor Martin! She's a teacher Harry! But no, it's alright because really you actually met over the summer and trapped yourselves in a box and learnt lots of things and fell in love and got her pregnant. PREGNANT! And at what point did you decide to keep this from me! How dare you! I was worried sick about you but I shouldn't have been because you were off shagging our DADA professor and killing bad guys!

'And then Ron and Ginny tell me all about the ADADA and the kind of people you're aligned with and it turns out that you're keeping all of this from Dumbledore as some sort of—some sort of stupid payback for him keeping you in the dark and its dangerous and you're going to get yourself killed and you have a daughter. A DAUGHTER! You're a father Harry James Potter and you didn't even tell me!

'And as if that isn't bad enough I finally found what I've been looking for tucked away in a class registry saying that Professor Martin is actually Alexandria Leah Martin who graduated from Hogwarts in 1714 which is impossible but not if you ask any of the ADADA members who just tell me that sounds about right though they've never bothered to do the math properly. 1714 Harry! 1714!'

Harry drew breath to get a word in but it turned out she wasn't done yet so he settled for gaping at her open mouthed.

'And no one will tell me how it is she's three hundred years old but I looked into it and I ruled out every possibility I could possible think of and I know Dumbledore isn't aware of her true age but that you must be because you've told me before that she fought in the last war and that she's seen and done a lot of things. And you weren't kidding but I don't know what can possibly explain everything and you are going to tell me right this moment Harry James Potter or you will never walk properly again!'

She thumped him on the shoulder (the uninjured side) several times with her Potions textbook to enforce her point. All he could do was gape at her for a few moments while his brain caught up with everything she had just shouted at him. She was breathing heavy and her face was bright red as though she was embarrassed by what she had just done. She sure as hell wasn't standing down though.

'When her mother was pregnant with her she was killed by the killing curse. Her aunt saved her life by cutting her from her dead mother.' Hermione gasped, horrified but didn't interrupt as he continued. 'When she was ten her aunt was killed by a basilisk and she was bitten as well. She was saved by the tears of a phoenix but when the phoenix healed her it mixed some of its blood with hers. She became a human phoenix.'

It was Hermione's turn to gape at him in astonishment. She was a lot quicker than most and had immediately made the connection between what had happened to Ally and what had happened to him down in the Chamber of Secrets.

'But Harry that means...'

'That I'm going to live a bloody long time, yeah.'

Hermione took a moment to let his words sink in and then after some serious thought told him she was late for class but that she still had a lot of questions. He followed her to class and tried not to fidget when he felt her gaze moving constantly from Ally to him.

'Holiday assignments,' Ally informed the fifth years on the last day of the term, 'Revision and lots of it. I understand the restriction on underage magic means you can't practice everything but you can practice wand movements, simple first aid, the muggle fighting techniques you've all become so fond of.

'You'll keep a journal. Write down everything you do during your day, starting from when you get up in the morning to when you go to bed. What exercises are you doing to make sure you can run like hell if there are anti-apparation wards? What homework are you doing for other subjects? If you are doing other homework how can what you're studying be employed in Defence Against the Dark Arts? Reread your textbook.'

There were general unhappy sounds at her unfortunately long list of things to be done but she merely smiled grimly.

'Last Sunday, tucked away in a small corner to cover it up, the _Daily Prophet_ ran an article about an attack on a muggle town. Twenty one people were killed, including a Ministry of Magic Auror who responded to the scene. A further eighty people were taken to both muggle hospitals and St Mungo's for treatment and eighteen people were arrested for Death Eater activities. Do your homework.'

No one complained after that and once the news spread to other years, she had no more complaints about the level of homework she was giving out. If the other students had any idea the type of holiday homework the ADADA was getting they wouldn't have been complaining so much.

It was around nine o'clock when the ADADA gathered for their final meeting. It was a little later than normal but it had taken some time for them to organize their desks and a lot longer for them to pack than the other students. When they arrived back for the last meeting they all found large boxes sitting on their desks. Each box had a thick parchment envelope sitting on top. The ADADA eyed them warily.

'In your boxes are your assignments for the holidays. Fred, George, you have a list of potions that need making and a lengthy order from the MLE for some of your newer specialist items.'

The twins grinned at each other, that kind of thing was generally written off as an expense which meant they were definitely getting paid for every item they made. Plans for their joke shop next year were looking more and more promising.

'Abby, Emmy, your boxes contain every piece of information we have on Peter Pettigrew. Its time he was brought in and Sirius' name publically cleared. Find him, kill him if you have to but try and bring him in alive.'

There were no happy smiles on Abby or Emmy's faces, they merely nodded. Their task was going to be a lot harder than the twins who would get to spend the holidays locked away making weapons and joke products for the MLE. Sirius' future was riding on their finding Wormtail.

'Luna, you have the holidays to learn how to read the written form of parseltongue and to compile a list of other possible languages being used on the artefacts Voldemort has been stealing. I want to find out what they were hiding in that village and what the hell it was that caused everything to explode in orange.'

Luna gave a curt nod, quite happy with her assignment which would give her time to spend with her father. He was good with weird languages and would be able to help her find the older runic alphabets Hermione would need for her translations.

Hermione's box contained a stack of new notebooks, quills and different coloured inks and one of the twins' messenger owls. Ally explained she had turned the owl into a portkey that would transport Hermione back and forth from the Martin Library whenever she wanted it to. Her holiday assignment was to continue trying to make sense of the cave papers. It was a task she was quite happy with.

'Stephanie, you know what your job is. Sirius created a pair of mirrors so that you and Ron can discuss things over the holidays.'

Jesse was tasked with quite possibly the world's biggest shopping list and a To Do list Hermione would have been proud of. It was a daunting task but he accepted it with a shrug and a look that said he was already planning how to most efficiently spend his two weeks.

'Daphne, you and Susan know what to do and it has to be done by the end of the holidays.'

Both girls nodded; there was no room for mistakes with their assignment. If things were to go off without a hitch at the Ministry then they needed to complete their assignment perfectly.

'Steven, you signed up to stay on this Christmas so you get to play bodyguard to Bianca.'

Being tasked to spend Christmas with a good looking young reporter was hardly a difficult task. Steven just grinned in anticipation of an easy two weeks.

'Right,' Ally concluded. 'See you all in two weeks.'

**

* * *

**

_His body felt smooth, powerful and flexible. He was gliding between shining metal bars...at first glance the corridor was empty...a man was sitting on the floor...sitting in front of a door at the end of the corridor...he reared high from the floor and struck...the man was yelling in pain...blood was splattering on to the floor..._

The sound of his daughter crying snapped Harry out of the dream and he was moving before conscious thought had caught up. He threw himself out of bed and rammed his feet into the nearest pair of shoes. Behind him Ally stirred and sat up holding her head.

'Oh, Merlin,' she moaned. 'What were you dreaming.'

'We have to move. Now.'

She didn't question him. She snapped up her wand, shoved on a pair of dragon hide boots that she'd left by the bed and snatched Molly out of her crib. She didn't stop to think how funny they looked, her in a pair of flannel pyjamas with stars all over them, feet shoved into black dragon hide boots, Harry dressed only in a pair of flannel pyjama bottoms (the ones from Sirius covered in big black dogs) and a similar pair of dragon hide boots.

'Grimmauld Place, go, I'll meet you there.'

She nodded once and vanished in flames. Harry gave it barely a second before he vanished in flames, appearing in the corridor outside the Department of Mysteries where Dumbledore had stationed members of the Order to protect the prophecy.

He'd been here plenty of times before, sometimes in Voldemort's dreams, others when he was with Ruby or Ally and they were looking for something. He'd never been there for such a horrible reason. The dream had left him shaken, no matter what he had seen there was never a time when watching someone you cared for get hurt didn't cause a stir of panic. The closer he got to the door the more blood there was on the floor.

Harry could remember the dream perfectly, what it felt like to be forced to ride along with Voldemort while the Dark Lord took joy from the pain and suffering of others. He could remember what it felt like sinking his teeth in to a man's flesh. It made him cold all over.

Arthur Weasley was slumped on the floor, unconscious and bleeding heavily. Harry didn't bother to check for any signs of Death Eaters, this had been Nagini's doing and she seldom went anywhere in the company of anyone that wasn't Voldemort.

There wasn't a bit of Mr Weasley that wasn't soaked in blood. He'd never even had the chance to reach for his wand before Nagini was on him. Harry crouched beside the man who so often treated him like another son and gripped his shoulder tightly. In a whoosh of flames they were gone, leaving behind a large puddle of blood.

**

* * *

**

It was the slamming of doors and the startled yelp as, by the sound of it, Sirius was unceremoniously dumped out of bed, that woke Remus. The sounds of urgent voices had him out of bed in a moment. He could hear Tonks and Sirius exchanging quick and hurried words with a woman whose voice he didn't recognise. He could also, strangest of all, hear an infant screaming.

Feet pounded down stairs and then passed the room he'd taken to using whenever he stayed over. Remus dressed quickly and hurried from his room, down the stairs and toward the sound of urgent voices. In the basement kitchen Tonks and Sirius, both still dressed in their pyjamas were talking quickly with a blonde woman—also in pyjamas—as she paced back and forth trying to calm the baby in her arms.

'What's going on?' he asked stepping into the kitchen and frowning when Tonks jumped.

'Remus!' she startled. 'When did you get here?'

'Just a few hours ago,' he explained. 'What has happened?'

Before anyone could say anything more, the kitchen tabled erupted in flames and Harry appeared on it, crouched over the crumpled form of Arthur Weasley. While his mouth dropped open and he let out a startled yelp of surprise, Sirius and Tonks moved forward completely unperturbed by Harry's sudden appearance.

Harry jumped down from the table and Remus could see he was naked from the waist up and that his bare chest and arms were covered in blood. Looking at Arthur it was easy to see where all of the blood had come from.

'Nagini got him,' he snapped out as Sirius and Tonks began to strip away the clothes from around the bite. 'I got to him as quickly as I could.'

'He needs to go to St Mungo's,' Tonks responded quickly. 'He's lost too much blood and there's nothing we can do for that kind of bite. I don't even know if Nagini carries venom.'

'It's no good, he needs help now,' Sirius contradicted. 'We need phoenix tears.'

For some reason Sirius and Tonks turned to look at Harry and the blonde woman. Harry held up his hands and shook his head.

'Don't look at me, I still haven't been able to heal scratches.'

Baffled, Remus followed Sirius and Tonks' actions and turned his attention to the blonde woman. She swore quite colourfully and hand the baby over to Harry who took the bundle quite comfortably. He held the baby up to his shoulder and bounced it slightly while rubbing the baby's back.

'You know I can't cry on command!' the woman protested.

'Think of something sad,' Tonks said urgently. 'Your parents death, um, the day your aunt died.'

The blonde shot a glare at Tonks but the Auror ignored her.

'I know,' Sirius said. 'Harry's just dropped dead and you're all alone, think about that.'

'I can't, it's not making me sad enough,' the blonde protested.

'Oi!' Harry snapped indignantly. 'I've bloody well just dropped dead, you better be crying.'

Before Remus could form an opinion of what was happening Tonks slapped herself sharply on the forehead and reached over to slap Sirius across the back of his.

'Hey!'

'Stupid. Stupid,' she muttered. 'Molly, we use Molly. She's pure phoenix.'

There was a beat where no one moved, Sirius froze, hands pressing a tea towel against Arthur's wound and Harry and the blonde stared at Tonks. Then everyone was moving at once. Sirius got up on the table so he could lean across to apply pressure while Harry moved to Arthur's side and adjusted his hold on the baby. He held her out over Arthur's prone form and shifted her so that her tears were dropping onto the back of Sirius' hands rather than dribbling down her cheeks.

'Don't hate daddy for this when you're older,' Harry muttered as he locked eyes with Sirius. 'On the count of three. One, two three.'

Sirius whipped his hands away from Arthurs wound and everyone held their breath, the only sound in the room the sound of the baby's cries. Every occupant of the room watched as tears dropped steadily onto the torn flesh like rain. For long agonising moments nothing happened and it seemed that whatever harebrained idea they were trying wasn't going to work.

Just when Remus was about to intervene and demand they take Arthur straight to St Mungo's the man himself woke with a start and a sharp cry of pain. Sirius' hands were back on him in a moment and Harry was moving the baby back into his arms properly.

'Ally, now!' Sirius urged.

The blonde—Ally—leapt forward, slammed her hand down over Sirius' and then Sirius was pulling back and Arthur and Ally vanished in the same flames that had brought Harry to the kitchen of Grimmauld Place.

'Get the word out,' Harry ordered, into the silence. 'Its starting.'


	62. Chapter 56

**a/n: **is it still saturday somewhere in the world? only i meant to have this up last night but i went and saw Inception (awesome) and i didn't get home till like quarter to one in the morning. Anyway, this one was difficult to write because i wanted to give teasery little hints into the prepartions that were going on without giving it all away. be warned there are lots of little things happening in this chapter. still, please let me know what you're thinking.

**Chapter 56**

He landed in the alley in a crouch and his unexpected passenger slid from his back, coughing and gasping for air. With a sinking feeling Jesse turned around. No Death Eater would have made those noises after jumping an apparation. Sure enough, when he turned around he found his little brother Andrew curled up on the ground coughing.

Jesse swore and hauled his brother to his feet. He would kill him for doing something so completely stupid. Once he'd got done punishing himself for not noticing his brother was following him in the first place that is.

'What in the name of Merlin were you thinking?' he demanded in an angry hiss.

'S-sorry,' Andrew gasped. 'Didn't realise it would be like that.'

'What did you think would happen? Side-along apparation is hard enough without being taken by surprise. I could have splinched you without even knowing.'

Andrew frowned at the unfamiliar words and Jesse had to fight the urge to smack him. Sometimes, when he was at Hogwarts and the world was on the brink of war, it was easy to forget what was waiting at home. It was easy to forget that he was the black sheep of the family, the one that no one talked about in specifics just general off hand comments.

It made the fact that Andrew had just jumped his apparation all the more dangerous. He had no way to defend himself and his parents would never forgive him if he got his little brother maimed or killed.

'Go home,' Jesse ordered.

'No,' Andrew informed him with all of the stubbornness his fourteen year old self could muster.

'That wasn't a request.'

'You can't boss me around,' Andrew insisted stubbornly. 'I'll tell mum and dad you snuck out.'

'It's the middle of the day,' Jesse responded, exasperated. 'It's not sneaking out in the middle of the day.'

'It is when you're dressed like that and have a pocket full of gold.'

Jesse narrowed his eyes but any further demands to know just what his brother had been doing going through his things were cut short by voices entering the alley. He acted without thinking. He shoved Andrew back into an alcove, warded the area and then sank back into the shadows just as two hulking figures entered the alley.

They were early and with the distraction Andrew had caused he hadn't had time to set any traps. He was going to have to do this on his own with his little brother watching. He couldn't even tell him not to watch because that would draw attention to Andrew's hiding place.

He waited until they passed his hiding place and then warded both ends of the alley with anti-apparation jinxes. They didn't notice anything was wrong until Jesse hit them in the back with a couple of stunners. The huge bulky form of Crabbe senior froze and fell face first but Goyle had been protected by his friend's bulk. He turned sharply and fired a spell at Jesse but Jesse was faster.

From the alcove, Andrew watched the whole thing with his mouth open in horror as his big brother used magic to take down two men. From his point of view, the men hadn't done anything to anyone but the thought that his brother could hurt anyone just didn't sit well. There was a lot of flashing light and then abruptly the second hulking figure dropped.

Jesse hadn't even broken a sweat. He removed the wards from the alcove to release his brother but Andrew didn't move. In fact, he shrank away from his brother, pressing hard against the wall behind him.

'What have you done?' his horrified whisper hardly seemed to reach Jesse but he stiffened at the words. 'You killed them.'

'They're not dead,' Jesse said calmly. 'I told you to go home.'

'I didn't think you were going to attack anyone!' the disgust in Andrew's voice didn't even give Jesse pause.

'These men have killed a lot of people. I hope you never have to understand what I just did.'

There was the sound of a soft pop and three witches from the MLE appeared at the end of the alley. Jesse removed the anti-apparation wards and they moved forward to secure the two fallen men. Aside from a cursory hello and a little ribbing about the cut to Jesse's cheek, they didn't say much.

'You done for the day?' one of the witches asked just before they were scheduled to leave.

'Got some supplies to get. Don't worry I'll keep out of trouble.'

'Good.'

The three witches disappeared and Jesse was left standing with a little brother that would never look at him the same way again. He'd been the black sheep for so long now he would have thought it would stop hurting.

Eleven days to go.

**

* * *

**

Their breathing was heavy making the glass of the small window fog up. It was probably a good thing no one was paying any attention to the little storage cupboard because even with the silencing charms and wards in place it wasn't hard to imagine what was going on in there.

Ally was perched atop a stack of upturned crates, her face was buried in Harry's shoulder and she was biting onto his jacket to keep from screaming. His hands were pressed against the wall behind her; hers were gripping his back so tightly she was probably scratching holes in the leather.

He really didn't care. It was fast, it was dirty, and it was probably the best sex either of them had had since Molly was born. Harry's legs gave out under the force of his and Ally's pleasure and he tumbled to the floor, tugging Ally down with him. She collapsed on top of him with a giggle and he struggled to catch his breath.

'We're so doing that again,' he murmured, running his hands up and down her back. 'Maybe not in a storage cupboard,' he added as an afterthought.

Ally's only response was a moan. Possibly it was agreement; possibly it was merely an expression of being unable to move for sheer jellylike quality to the legs. Harry would like to have believed it was both but further pondering was interrupted when the alarm on his watch went off.

'Shit,' Ally mumbled. They were both still for a moment before leaping into action. Ally hopped around on one foot trying to tug her pants back on while Harry struggled to find her left shoe. 'Shit, shit, shit,' she cursed as she lost balance and tumbled back onto a crate.

Two minutes later, and with all clothes appropriately repositioned, they slipped out of the cupboard and into the main hall of the DMLE. Avoiding the two wizards on duty was relatively easy and they managed to slip into the appropriate cubicles and set the little traps the twins had designed without trouble.

One department down, just a dozen more to go.

In the Department for Control of Magical Creatures Harry took great pleasure in attaching one of the nastier traps to McNair's little spindly chair. Ally, on the other hand, got great enjoyment out of plastering another nasty one to the underside of the desk of a witch in the Department of Records who had caused her numerous troubles over the years by trying, of all things, to compile a complete and true account of Ally's birth, addresses and occupations.

The fact that she'd joined Voldemort just gave Ally an excuse to do something she'd wanted to do for forty years.

All up it took them five hours to litter the traps throughout the Ministry. Several times, they only just avoided being seen and one more time they stopped for a bit of fun in another cupboard.

Ten days to go.

**

* * *

**

Stephanie's bedroom was covered beneath a soft layer of maps and charts. If she so much as twitched her leg an avalanche of parchment was likely to bury Ron. They hadn't seen her cat, Whisper, few a few hours and with the bedroom door shut it was unlikely he'd gotten out.

There was an order to the chaos but if either tried to explain it to someone else it wouldn't have made an iota of sense. They'd already tried once to explain the system to Hermione but she'd just waved them off and told them it wasn't worth the cross-eyed feeling she got.

There were maps of the Ministry of Magic, lists of people they had working with them. There was a blueprint for each of the twins little traps, a few of Death Eater homes and even a star chart that had been worked into one of the plans somehow and had long since been forgotten about.

'It's no good,' Stephanie announced. 'We're going have to block off the Floo Network.'

Ron looked up from the map of the Department of Mysteries he was studying to frown at her. 'We can't close off the Floo; we need it to get Fudge in.'

Stephanie shook her head at him and he briefly contemplated getting up to go have a look for himself but it just wasn't worth disrupting the floor.

'Maybe if we can block all but the addresses that we need? It's just that we're leaving it open for them to leave.'

'So we block outgoing then?'

Stephanie shook her head again and Ron was beginning to hate the gesture. Seven hours trapped in her room looking at maps was driving him mad. He didn't like to think what his mother would do if she noticed him missing from Grimmauld Place.

'If we do that then the Death Eaters can just keep arriving. We just don't have the numbers to stand up against that kind of assault.'

'But if we leave the outgoing open they'll be able to get away,' murmured Ron, deep in thought.

Finally he gave up, threw his arms up in frustration and announced that he needed food and that they could have another go tomorrow. They dislodged quite a few maps and charts when they scrambled out of the room. They did rescue Whisper from suffocation under the missing star chart, though.

Nine days to go.

**

* * *

**

There were only so many times you could play word association games with yourself before you started to go insane. For Ginny, it turned out, that two times was the limit to which her attention could hold onto the game. How she continued to pull this duty was beyond her. Surely she hadn't been that awful on her last outing?

Still, the twins had come through for her and found her an interesting spell that ensured her bum wouldn't fall asleep in the long hours she would be stuck Dumbledore sitting. And they were really long hours. The old headmaster had spent the last week and a half locked away in his office studying over everything he thought he knew about Harry.

Ginny knew more about Harry than she had ever wanted to know and how it was Dumbledore didn't have him figured was a genius of stupidity only the great Albus Dumbledore could pull off. It hadn't been her first choice but what with her mark being unexpectedly killed by Voldemort she had some free time.

Not that it wasn't worth it, whatever had been said when he confronted Sirius had impacted deeply enough that he was making weird disgruntled noises and bemoaning his own stupid behaviour. Perhaps when it was all over she would actually recommend that Harry come completely clean. Well, alright, even she wouldn't go that far but maybe a little dangling of summer activities wouldn't be a bad place to start.

Ginny stifled a yawn and watched as a twelve year old Harry, covered in slime and his own blood, rose up from Dumbledore's pensive and began to give an account of the events in the dreaded Chamber of Secrets. It wasn't a story she particularly liked to hear but something in the way he was telling it seemed to strike a chord with Dumbledore. He watched it twice more before allowing the figure of Harry to sink back into the bowl.

The portrait Ginny was leaning next to, that of an ancient wizard who was headmaster some six hundred years before, tapped the side of his frame to get her attention.

'Best call it a night, my girl,' the wizard advised in a whisper. 'No telling how long this will last. Get some sleep, we'll send old Smith if anything interesting happens.'

Ginny gave a relieved nod and twisted the bead attached to her bracelet. Ruby had turned it into a portkey before the holidays and it was definitely getting some use.

Eight days to go.

**

* * *

**

'Are we actually in Albania?'

The affronted tone came from Abby's left and she had to stifle a laugh. Not because she was afraid of being heard but because she was worried that in her sleep deprived state it might actually turn a little hysterical.

'I didn't sign on for Albania,' Emmy muttered again, her voice sounded closer this time. 'Bad Voldemort related things happen in Albania and I didn't sign up for those.'

A tree branch was blasted out of her way and Emmy appeared through the forest looking thoroughly disgruntled. She had a twig stuck in her hair and mud down the right side of her face. Abby wasn't sure she looked any better so didn't dare to comment.

'You sort of did,' Abby reminded her. 'Death Eater slaying? Bad Voldemort related things are part of the package.'

Emmy huffed and crossed her arms, looking not a bit impressed by Abby's reasoning. Abby chose to ignore this and started to look around at the forest they'd found themselves in. With a shiver, she had to acknowledge that it _was_ creepy. They both knew that this forest was the very one that Voldemort had spent all those years hiding out in.

The fact they'd followed Pettigrew here was telling. The little rat was a lot smarter than they'd given him credit for. Though maybe smarter wasn't the best word, perhaps crafty, good at surviving? Something like that anyway. Abby looked around her and sighed in defeat.

'How do you find a rat in a massive and wild forest?'

'Summoning charm?' Emmy suggested, arms still crossed and a pout firmly in place.

'Summoning charm?' Abby repeated incredulously. 'Like that could possibly work, no one is that...stupid.'

Emmy raised her eyebrows and grinned. She waved her wand and performed a summoning charm. For a moment nothing happened and then a soft high pitched squealing filled the air.

'No,' Abby laughed. 'Even he couldn't be that stupid.'

A rat missing one toe sailed through the air toward them. Just before Abby could reach out and snatch it from the air it changed. The rat morphed back into the man and turned abruptly on the spot in midair. Emmy's triumphant grin faded and she rolled her eyes.

The last thing she said before she and Abby followed after him was a quiet but emphatic, 'Damn.'

Seven days to go. Possibly.

**

* * *

**

If there was one thing you didn't want on your tail it was a pissed off Auror. Having a pissed off Auror and a pissed of Unspeakable on your tail spoke of a future filled with painful memories and dark days.

And Remus hadn't even done anything particularly bad. He'd made one comment, just one throwaway comment about the age difference between Harry and Ally (before he'd been told how old she really was) and now Tonks was peeved and not speaking to him and Ruby was taking her side.

He didn't even know Ruby but she was happily playing the supportive girl friend and siding with Tonks over something he'd done wrong. What he had done wrong he was beginning to understand but only just. Only because Sirius had finally stopped laughing long enough to explain that the comment about Harry and Ally could also be taken as a snub toward Tonks.

By the time that had sunk through the layers of denial and self pity, Tonks and Ruby had already vanished to do some dark and mysterious work for Harry and he was left with Sirius who kept bursting into laughter every time he caught sight of Remus' confused face.

'What do I do, Padfoot old friend?'

Sirius sobered immediately. He gripped Remus' shoulder and looked seriously at his friend for the first time since he'd made the blunder.

'Moony, do yourself a favour and ask my dear cousin out.'

'But-' His mind filled with all of the reasons why he was an unsuitable potential partner. He told himself excuses about his lycanthropy and his age (what had got him in trouble in the first place), his lack of respectable job and money. He had quite the extensive list going. 'Ow!'

'Stop over thinking it.' Sirius smirked and Remus glared, rubbing the back of his head where his friend had got him quite hard with a book. 'Just ask her out, Moony.'

Six days to go.

**

* * *

**

He had been such a fool. Sirius' words kept repeating in his head and no matter how he twisted them they would not reshape into the form he had created for them. He had spent so much of the last few years concerned for Harry's innocence and his youth that he hadn't been able to see the truth.

It was something everyone else had already known but now he was able to see it for himself. He had made mistakes; mistakes that he worried couldn't be reversed. Mistakes he feared could lead to Harry's death even if he had become an incredibly skilled fighter. He might stand a great chance against Voldemort's forces now but through his fear Dumbledore had neglected to share much which could help bring Voldemort to his final destruction.

There were many fences that needed mending before he could share the information and he feared that with Harry's new attitude that offense was the best defence, Dumbledore feared there wouldn't be time.

Fear. There were so many fears he constantly worried over. Fear for Harry, fear for the wizarding world. Fear for himself that one day he would fall and there would be no one with the knowledge to prevent it.

He had tried so hard for years to be the one who could stop Voldemort but perhaps now it was time to take a step back and acknowledge what he had always known.

The end couldn't be dictated by anyone but Harry and if what he had heard in rumour and seen for himself at the Defence Against the Dark Arts tournaments, was anything to judge by it was going to be soon.

Unaware of any sort of important countdown but nevertheless feeling some sort of impending doom.


	63. Chapter 57

**a/n: **just a warning, this chapter isn't exactly directly after the last. the first portion takes place a little earlier than the previous chapter and then the second part is directly after the previous chapter. don't ask why, its just the way it happened.

**Chapter 57**

Harry was furious and it was that which was keeping Molly from settling down. No matter how he rocked or soothed her she refused to calm down and in the end he had to hand her over to Sirius while he tried to calm down.

Voldemort had been the source of a great deal of pain in Harry's life. He was the reason he'd lost his parents and his whole family at such an early age. He was the reason Ginny had to suffer so much in her first year, he was the source of a great deal of pain across the wizarding world but this, almost killing Arthur Weasley, was the final straw.

Not only was he furious that Voldemort had even gotten so close to Mr Weasley, albeit in the guise of Nagini, but he was furious that the kick off of their plans had been taken out of their hands. There was no way, Voldemort hadn't felt Harry's reaction even if he had been training and training to block it. He'd been asleep and his defences were naturally down.

They just had to hope that Voldemort wouldn't try and make a move until everything was in place. Judging by the way he had been taking his time with his plots they would have at least until Christmas before he started to make his move. They'd just have to use the time as wisely as possible.

Unable to do anything now, he took a deep breath and tried to calm his emotions. Molly didn't need his anger and worry tainting her, not when she was watching Sirius with such wide eyes. Harry grinned and felt his anger slip away as he watched the last member of his old family bond with the beginning of his new one.

Remus didn't know what to think. Tonks was by his side trying and failing to make him understand what was happening before him but no matter what she said it just didn't make sense. He could see perfectly well for himself that Sirius, Harry and a baby were involved but when she tried to explain the connection between the three things became a little difficult for him to accept.

What it came down to was that Harry had a daughter and that Sirius was embracing the role of grandfather. Then his brain stopped comprehending and Tonks had to explain it all again because what she was saying just didn't mesh with the stories and rumours he had been hearing since the end of summer.

The picture that had been painted by Dumbledore's fear and his words was that of an angry, mass murdering teenage boy with far too much power and far too little conscience. He implored the Order to help him prevent Harry from further travelling down such a dark path. Then, to be presented with the evidence that Harry had in fact spent his summer shacked up with his future Defence professor, it was mind boggling.

Here was a Harry who was young and happy. He may not have been as innocent and naive as Dumbledore wished but he was happy. For the first time in his life he had both friends and a family. The way Tonks told it, Harry actually enjoyed the chance to kick a little Death Eater behind. He enjoyed taking an active part in bringing down Voldemort. He enjoyed being a part of the fight for the future and it wasn't in any way turning him dark like Dumbledore had worried.

There was no Dark Harry, _that_ Remus could see with his own eyes. There was a boy worried for one of his family, a father concerned for his daughter's happiness and a godson who had done everything he could to save his godfather, not from Voldemort but from himself.

Here was an incredible boy who had been through so much but had created something better from it.

'What's her name?' Remus asked Tonks eventually, watching Sirius spin a giggling baby around the kitchen with a huge smile on his face.

'Molly,' Tonks answered. 'Molly Alexandria Potter.'

'She's beautiful.'

'Looks just like her mother but she's got Harry's eyes.'

'James would have loved that,' Remus laughed. 'He always loved Lily's eyes.'

Tonks didn't say anything but Remus didn't blame her, she'd never really known James. There were only two people alive who really knew James Potter and now, here they were, in a kitchen they had always despised because of what it represented watching as James' son planned to save the wizarding world.

What scared Remus the most was that he would do it; he'd defeat Voldemort, save the wizarding world and probably all before he'd finished school.

Thirteen days to go.

**

* * *

**

All things considered Christmas turned out to be a perfectly normal affair. Even with Mr Weasley laid up in a bed at St Mungo's the Christmas holidays went off with a bang that had nothing to do with death and destruction and everything to do with the Christmas crackers the twins and Sirius had developed. By Christmas morning the interior of Grimmauld Place was the most festive house on the street.

Harry was woken early on Christmas morning by Ron who threw a pillow at him and then shouted something about food and presents before he disappeared out of their room. He lay in bed for a few moments wishing he were waking up in a different bed for a completely different and a much more pleasant reason. He knew Ally was spending the morning with Ruby and her family but that didn't mean he didn't want to be with her. It was Molly's first Christmas and he wanted to spend it with her, not locked away at Grimmauld Place pretending he didn't have anywhere else he wanted to be.

'Oi,' a voice snapped at him from the doorway.

He turned in surprise to see Ruby sticking her head around his door. She was wearing a goofy Santa hat that flashed different colours and had a big bell on the tip. She rolled her eyes at his shocked but happy expression.

'She's downstairs, stupid, we're all waiting on you.'

Harry leapt out of bed, threw on a pair of thick miss-matched socks (a gift from Dobby) and his Gryffindor hoody and ran after her. He skidded around the corner and into the drawing room where they had set up the tree. He nearly collided with Ruby but she seemed unfazed by his lack of grace.

His whole family was there. Sirius crouched by the tree waiting to hand out presents. A freshly released Arthur sat wrapped in a blanket on a chair with his wife beside him. The rest of the Weasley's were scattered about the room in various states of dress. All eagerly awaiting their presents and talking happily.

Remus was leaning against the wall, surveying the room around him with a look of wonder. Tonks was crouched in front of the couch deep in conversation with her mother. And then there was Ally, seated beside Andromeda with Molly spread across her knees. She smiled at him and threw him a wink that had his insides melting.

His whole family was together in one room on Christmas day and not even Voldemort could spoil his mood.

'Finally!' Sirius cried. 'Took you long enough, we've been waiting hours!'

'It's been ten minutes, Padfoot,' Remus laughed, enjoying Sirius' youthful enthusiasm.

'Presents!' Sirius cried happily and snatched the first one he could reach from under the tree. 'Ginny,' he read off the tag.

He shook the present lightly, judged it to be nothing breakable and then threw it to her. She snatched it out of the air and tore the paper away to reveal a simple brown box. She removed the lid and found a delicate gold chain inside. Hanging from the chain was a beautifully carved G. She lifted it out of the box to admire it and her mother drew in a sharp breath.

'Oh Ginny, it's beautiful. Who sent it to you?'

'It's from Harry,' she said simply, smiling at him and then throwing a similar smile at Ally who grinned. Ginny had no doubt Ally had been the one to pick it out. 'Thank you.'

'I was going to give it to George but I thought Fred might get jealous,' Harry joked.

Tonks gave him an amused shove because he was out of Ginny's reach but Ginny did poke her tongue out at him. They were all oblivious to the suspicious looks Mrs Weasley was giving her daughter and Harry.

'My turn,' Sirius called triumphantly, the next present to be snatched up having his name written on it.

Sirius shook it, sniffed it, patted it down and then tore the paper off when he was satisfied it wasn't about to explode. They all watched him in amusement but given that it was wrapped in lurid purple paper and had three Ws stamped on it there was reason to be cautious. His caution was for nothing however as the package contained a collection of old parchment tied with a ribbon. His eyes lit up with delight and he let out a bark of laughter.

'Oh this is brilliant! Where did you get this?'

'We rescued it from a drawer in Filch's office,' Fred informed him. 'We thought it deserved to be with its rightful owner.'

Sirius' eyes poured over the pages lovingly and when he looked up his eyes were glassy with tears. 'It's the _Marauder's Guide to Hogwarts_, Moony! _The Book of Padfoot_.'

Remus looked at him blankly for a moment and then doubled over in laughter. When he was able to speak again he only managed to get out one word, Sirius' name, before he was again lost to his laughter.

For long moments it seemed Sirius was going to be lost to memories and that Remus was going to have to be carted away but eventually he calmed down and Sirius passed his gift to an intrigued Ruby.

'Right, who's next. Let's see, let's see. Ah ha, the youngest member of this new family.'

He straightened from the tree and handed Ally a squishy package wrapped in soft red paper. She removed the paper and revealed to her audience an incredibly soft feeling white teddy bear with a red ribbon around its next. The teddy bear had a card attached to its wrist that said it was from Hermione and explained that the bear could be used to record emotions so any child holding it would feel the love of its parents.

'It's from Hermione,' she explained because no one could read the card from where they were.

'How thoughtful,' Mrs Weasley answered automatically, no one had yet explained to her exactly why Ally was sharing Christmas with them or who exactly she was. On some level she understood that Ally was the one who had taken Harry's mess of a life and fixed some of it but that didn't explain anything to her satisfaction. They didn't plan to explain either.

Ally placed the bear beside Molly and smiled down at her. Mushy scene over, Sirius dove back under a tree and tugged free an envelope addressed to both the twins. He presented it to them with a flourish and then bounced on the balls of his feet while George cautiously opened it. His eyes bugged out and Fred snatched it out of his hands. Fred's mouth fell open and they both stared at the envelope for long silent moments before leaping to their feet and converging on Ally. Molly was scooped up and gently handed off to Andromeda before the twins fell to their knees before Ally and pretended to worship her.

Mrs Weasley snatched up the fallen envelope in hopes that it would explain her sons' bizarre behaviour. Inside was a contract giving them full rights to a property in Diagon Alley at an incredibly low rent and with a small stipulation that a small, practically tiny, portion of their profits be put toward an account for M.A.P.

Molly felt anger swell up inside her that this stranger was helping her twins to fulfil such a silly and mindless future but she couldn't argue with just how happy it made them. They were talking over each other, stumbling over their words and frequently stopping to go glassy eyed and envision new products they could make.

'More presents!' Sirius shouted, to break them away. He grabbed a present at random and then threw it at Mrs Weasley. 'From one Daphne Greengrass,' he informed her.

Ron's ears went red and the twins' started to snigger but Mrs Weasley just looked bewildered as she took the present and began to unwrap it. Ginny took pity on her mother and moved to sit beside her.

'She's Ron's girlfriend, mum. She though she should get you something. I helped.'

'Ron has a girlfriend? I thought Hermione...' she trailed off and looked furtively at Ron like she'd said too much.

Ron looked more amused than anything and just waved her concerns away and told her to open what turned out to be a collection of her own recipes with amusing pictures beside them. The one of her special chocolate cake had a picture of the twins, aged seven, covered from head to toe in icing and fighting over the last piece of cake. The whole book was filled with recipes, some had pictures others were left blank for Mrs Weasley to add her own later.

'Oh Ron!' she gasped, eyes welling up. 'I don't know what to say. And I didn't get her anything. Why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend?'

She smothered him in a hug and everyone just assumed his explanation was muffled into her shoulder because Sirius started throwing presents again and their attention wavered. There were the usual Weasley jumpers and homemade fudge from Mr and Mrs Weasley. Several books from Hermione and lots of presents from the Weasley kids for their new niece were dug up and handed out. Harry even received a gift from his aunt which surprised the hell out of him and mostly consisted of a card and her thanks for keeping Dudley safe.

The biggest gift handed out was to Mr Weasley. Harry and Ally joined forces with his children to present him with a large collection of muggle tools and bits and pieces to keep him amused for months. Most of it had been purchased through Hermione's parents who had been happy to help educate Mr Weasley.

Harry's best gift wasn't the mountain of toys for Molly, the jumper from Mrs Weasley or even the complete set of proper Quidditch gear he got from Sirius. His best gift was getting to experience what Christmas was supposed to be for the very first time in his life.

They ate down in the basement kitchen, transformed with decorations and a huge roaring fire to be warm and homey. Through some fluke of the seating arrangement, Harry ended up sitting beside Ally and the two spent much of the meal with their legs twined together and his arm across the back of her chair. He was so happy he wasn't even worried about putting on a show for Mrs Weasley. Her eyes strayed in his direction a few times and she frowned but it seemed her frown wasn't because of what he was doing but what he wasn't doing. She kept glancing from him to where Ginny sat on his other side with furrowed brows.

'I'm glad you're here,' he leant forward to whisper in Ally's ear.

'Where else would I be?'

They shared a grin and turned back to the table as Sirius got to his feet and raised his glass.

'I'd like to propose a toast,' he announced. 'To many future Christmas' spent with family and a short sharp death to Voldemort.'

Laughter spread along the table as glasses were raised in toast. They remained in a world untouched by the war beginning to rage outside. They spent the afternoon playing games and telling jokes. Sirius let them all in on the story behind _The Book of Padfoot_ and the book it was supposed to become part of. He had them all in stitches talking about his exploits at Hogwarts with James and Remus.

Andromeda shared a few stories of her own that she could remember of the Marauder's in their very first year. 'The letters I used to get!' she laughed.

Eventually it grew late, one by one the occupants drifted off to their beds and the house grew quiet once more.

'Did it work?' Ally asked when only she and Harry remained in the drawing room, still surrounded by brightly coloured wrapping paper.

Harry shrugged, shuffling closer to her on the rug so that they sat facing each other, knees touching. 'I don't know. Snape's potion knocked me out. The only thing I remember is going to bed and then Ron throwing his pillow at me.'

'Do you trust him?'

'I don't have a choice.'

She shuffled even closer, draping her legs over his so she was very nearly straddling his lap. He took one of her hands in his and began to fiddle with the ring she frequently wore on her index finger. She'd told him once, back when they first met and she'd taken to rambling on to fill the horrible and oppressive silences that always filled the Dursley's house when he was around, that the ring had belonged to her aunt and that she'd been wearing it the day she died.

Sometimes he wished Ally's life wasn't marked with death but then if it weren't, if his weren't marked the same way, they never would have fund each other. Really, when it came to it, he would much prefer to have suffered so much loss than leave her alone. He knew, if it were the other way around, she'd choose the loss to save him from loneliness as well.

'Did you know about me before?' he asked her into the quiet. 'Did you know you would find me some day or did you always think you would be alone?'

Ally was quiet for some time and he continued to play with her fingers, a constant reminder that she wasn't alone anymore. He didn't want her to look back on that time and think of her loneliness because he knew, for the most part, she'd never been alone. She'd always had friends when she didn't have family.

'Are you thinking about what's coming? What you have to do?' she finally asked. Her words were heavy with emotion. She didn't want to think on what was to come, not when the day had been so light and full of laughter.

'No,' answered Harry. 'I'm thinking about Molly.'

Ally didn't say anything but lifted his hand to her mouth, pressing kisses to his palm.

'I don't ever want her to know what we felt, that loneliness,' he shuddered. 'I don't ever want to leave her alone like our parents did to us.'

She touched the side of his face and pulled him around so he was facing her and not staring blankly into the fire. 'She won't ever be alone, Harry. She has more than we ever had; every one of these people here today will be there for her every step of the way. If we die, if we fail, they will never let her be alone. They'll have children, grandchildren, great grandchildren. Always someone by her side,' she assured him.

'I'm being stupid.'

'Yeah, cause we're not going to fail.' She grinned at him cheekily. 'This will work, Harry, we'll bring him down and we'll raise our daughter and we will stand together and protect this family and all that come after with all that we have. She'll never know the loneliness we knew.'

'Yeah,' he murmured, still not really seeing her but seeing a future filled with happiness and bedtime stories. All the things he missed growing up that he would shower on Molly.

'Good,' she said simply. She got to her feet and pulled him up with her. 'Now let's go feed you a potion and set a trap for Voldemort.'


	64. Chapter 58

**a/n: **well this is the last chapter before the big battle. i hope you enjoy it as i had a fun time writing it. please let me know what you think as it makes me giddy.

**Chapter 58**

Four days and roughly six hours of sleep was hardly the best way to go into such an important fight but they had little choice. Things never go the way you plan and what with one thing or another sleep just hadn't been possible. Just this once they hoped everything went according to plan so that maybe, just maybe, they'd catch the stupid rat and be done with it.

After days spent tracking him through forests, cities and once or twice the occasionally sea, Abby was truly fed up with Peter Pettigrew. Somehow, and she wasn't sure how, Pettigrew had clocked onto his tail within a few hours of them tracking him. He'd been leading them on a merry chase ever since, trying to ditch them and get just far enough ahead so as to get a clean escape.

At least the fact that they been constantly moving meant that Pettigrew was just as sleep deprived as they were. As long as he didn't seek out help they would be on an even playing field.

They'd let him get ahead a few hours ago, two steps to be exact, in an attempt to get him to stop running. The hope was that he hadn't tried to contact anyone in case that tipped of his location. If he had they'd just have to deal. One way or another, Peter Pettigrew was going to be brought in.

'He's down,' Emmy hissed, appearing from beneath Harry's invisibility cloak right next to Abby. 'We have to move now while he's asleep.'

Apparently, just that few hours of freedom had been enough for him to become comfortable—or desperate enough—to attempt to get some sleep. Both girls envied him for that but were thankful this would soon be over.

'Is everything in place?' Abby whispered, crouching low beside the door to Pettigrew's room.

It was a tiny and dingy motel room in some muggle building; the few wards on the door were ones Pettigrew had hurriedly put in place before he'd tried to sleep. They were easy enough to get around, fatigue and an average skill at magic made it relatively simple to slip through. It had taken them just moments to put up their own and working together had made them twice as strong.

Abby glanced across the closed door to where Emmy was crouched mirroring her position. Emmy nodded sharply once and Abby moved, blasting the door into splinters and storming into the room. Pettigrew was fast, the moment the door exploded he'd rolled out of bed, transforming on the way down. As a rat he was faster and provided a smaller target.

They'd anticipated his transformation and sealed the room in a magical bubble of wards and traps. Even the tiniest crack was covered by the charms. Pettigrew darted through one such crack and was immediately spat back out. He squealed loudly and ran for another but when that failed he tried for the door.

Abby took careful aim and fired the most powerful stunner she knew at the mangy rat. He darted left at the last moment and the stunner blew apart a section of the floor. It surprised Pettigrew and with a sharp squeal he put on an extra burst of speed and moved faster for his only hope of exit.

He ran headlong into a board Emmy had magical moved into his path. Abby got him with her stunner while he was shaking off the dizziness.

'Nice,' she told Emmy with amusement.

Emmy pulled a box from her bag and expanded it to its regular size. The box was the size of a shoe box and made from wood that Hermione had heavily spelled to be unbreakable and resistant to every spell someone could throw at it. Abby picked Pettigrew up by his long tail and dropped him unceremoniously into the box. Emmy slammed the lid shut and tapped the box twice with her wand.

'So...'

'Ministry?'

'Ministry,' Emmy agreed.

**

* * *

**

Harry was rugged up in so many layers it took Mrs Weasley a moment to realise who she was seeing. She'd been woken from her sleep by a terrifying nightmare in which she lost every single member of her family to the fight against Voldemort in the most horrible way imaginable. Her heart was still pounding in her chest and she'd known there was no chance of falling back to sleep.

So she'd gotten up, dressed and headed down to the kitchen to get a start on breakfast, maybe even bake some fresh bread. She'd stopped on the landing when she'd glimpsed a dark figure on the street outside. For one terrifying moment she'd thought they'd been found by Death Eater's but then she'd squinted and realised that it was Harry.

He was standing under a street light, gazing up at the sky just standing perfectly still. She hurried down the remaining stairs and threw open the front door, all ready to yell at him to get back inside. There were two reasons she didn't. One, yelling would draw attention to any Death Eaters she couldn't see that might be in the area searching for their hide out and two, he was no longer alone.

In the time it had taken her to make it down the last few stairs and out of the house, Harry had been joined by another, decidedly female, figure. She was also dressed for the morning chill but while Harry had a hat pulled low over his ears to keep them warm, the girl had the hood of a muggle coat pulled up. Mrs Weasley could just make out the end of a blonde ponytail poking from the corner of the hood.

The hair colour and the figure were enough for Mrs Weasley to identify the other as Ally Martin. She'd devoted a great deal of Christmas Day and Boxing Day to studying the strange young woman who had so changed Harry. Mrs Weasley could probably pick her out of a line-up of bundled up muggles a mile off.

Hidden in the doorway Mrs Weasley was able to see everything without being seen and the morning was so quiet she could hear what was being said.

'More Voldemort dreams?' Ally asked quietly, reaching her hand out to him.

He gripped her hand tightly and Mrs Weasley frowned. It wasn't exactly and uncommon thing to happen, there were plenty of reasons to hold someone's hand and, if Harry really were dreaming about Voldemort, Mrs Weasley was glad he had someone to hold his hand. That didn't mean it didn't make her uncomfortable.

'I think the potion's working. When it starts to wear off I get stuck watching whatever he dreams until something wakes me. He was dreaming about killing me and watching Dumbledore fall.'

'It won't happen,' she assured him, confidence filling her words. Mrs Weasley wanted to believe her but she had trouble after her own terrible nightmare. 'Come on, I'll take you to breakfast before I have to meet up with Tonks and Ruby.'

She led him down the street by the hand and they were almost out sight when Harry caught up to her properly and slipped an arm around her, pulling her close. He must have made a joke or something—Mrs Weasley couldn't hear—because Ally shoved him away and he let out a laugh.

They didn't get much further than the street corner when two dark figures appeared in the middle of the street just steps from where they had been standing under the street light. Mrs Weasley almost had a heart attack when the figures moved further into the light and she realised that the tall gangly one was Ron and the shorter curvier one was a young woman.

'Incoming!' Ron barked and immediately Harry and Ally turned back.

Before Mrs Weasley could even think about what was happening, half a dozen Death Eaters appeared with multiple cracks on the street. She was safe on the doorstep of number twelve but Ron and Harry were out in the open. She wanted to move, to do something to help but she was frozen on the spot, so many questions pounding away.

Where had Ron been? Why wasn't he in bed like she thought? Who was the girl he was with? Mostly her thoughts were starting in on a horrible replay of her nightmare. Unable to move through fear all she could do was watch with horrified fascination as the scene unfolded before her.

Mere moments after the Death Eaters appeared Ron and the girl leapt into action. He darted forward, casting spell after spell and moving with a confidence he should not have had. His first two spells slammed into a stooped Death Eater and the already wounded witch crumpled with a cry. Mrs Weasley gasped, hand clasped to her mouth. Ron never even looked back.

The girl pounced on a wizard, knocking him in the face with a powerful punch, surprising him before she got him in the face with a bludgeoning curse that obliterated his features. He dropped to the ground and the girl was hit in the back by a sickly yellow looking spell. It bounced harmlessly off a shield of some sorts and bounced back into the garden wall of one of the houses. Clumps of dirt and chunks of brick sprayed into the air but the girl was already turning and shooting off curses.

Mrs Weasley watched Harry enter the fray, his movements almost too fast for her to comprehend. He downed two Death Eaters at once with the same spell. Ally snuck up behind another and with a sharp twist she broke his neck. It was carnage, spells flying, bodies falling to the road and the whole time Ron and Harry danced through the destruction as though it were perfectly natural.

It happened in a blink and then just as suddenly the street fell quiet and the four of them stood amongst the fallen bodies of all six Death Eaters. Mrs Weasley wanted to scream, she wanted to run to Ron and check that he was alright and then lock him up so he could never leave the house again. She didn't move, though, her feet were glued to the front step out of more than just fear.

'That was fun,' Ron announced, breaking the silence with heavy sarcasm.

'We were about to have breakfast,' Harry informed his friend, stepping over the well-and-truly broken body of a witch. 'You want to come?'

Ron seemed to consider it for a moment and Mrs Weasley added something else of concern to her ever expanding list. 'Nah, someone's got to wait for the Ministry. Go, Daph and I will deal with this.'

They might have exchanged a few more words before Harry and Ally left but Mrs Weasley couldn't hear them over the blood pounding in her ears. Never in all of her terrified wonderings had it occurred to her that Harry might not have been the only one to have changed. She'd been so focused on worrying about Harry that it hadn't occurred to her what else she had been seeing lately.

She didn't stay around to watch Ron and the girl meet with the Ministry; she had too many things on her mind.

**

* * *

**

Unlike back in September, platform nine and three quarters showed signs that war was brewing. In September few people had been willing to believe that Voldemort had risen again, that soon war would be reaching out to their world. The air had been filled with laughter and games, bright colours and giggles. Now, though the majority of the wizarding world was still firmly denying it, there were little signs that couldn't be ignored.

People were going missing, attacks on muggle villages, little things like signs that were easily recognisable to those who had lived through the terror once before. There was an ominous feeling hanging over the platform and the atmosphere was strained even as students laughed and joked and said goodbyes to their families.

Harry watched it all from behind a pillar. Out of sight he was able to observe the subtle changes he had worked so hard to bring about. The way Neville Longbottom warily eyed the platform and the way his grandmother repeatedly asked him in hushed tones if he was carrying his wand. It was evident in the way most parents were holding on extra tight when they hugged their children goodbye.

Mrs Weasley nearly suffocated each and every one of her children when she bid them farewell for the term. So far Harry had avoided such a display by hiding in the shadows and just observing but soon it would be time to board the train and he wouldn't be able to avoid it.

Soon his plan would go into action and she may never want to hug him again.

Ally slipped up behind him and rested her chin on his shoulder. She had to stand on her toes to pull it off and she ended up putting most of her weight on Harry in an attempt to keep her balance.

'They're starting to take notice,' she observed. 'No more living in the dark.'

'It a good thing, yeah? Forcing them to face what's happening?'

Ally shrugged, the movement feeling weird against his back. 'What choice do we have? They can't fight if they don't see.'

'They shouldn't have to fight.'

Harry could feel the way Ally rolled her eyes. It was a sensation of exasperation that spread through him like warmth. It was love and it was a little feeling of his own stupidity and it was wholly Ally.

'You can't do it on your own, Harry.'

'I know.'

He did know but that didn't mean he couldn't wish to shoulder the burden alone. That he didn't wish that he could end it all as quickly as possible and spare them the pain and suffering and death.

'You're depressing me and I don't like it,' she informed him smartly. 'It's like being back at Privet Drive all over again. I don't have the time to talk at you for hours to cheer you up today but I _can_ snog you silly.'

He turned to face her with a bit of a grin and she smiled at him winningly. She reclaimed the space he'd created between them when he'd turned around and pressed up close to him. There was hardly room for a sheet of parchment between them and she kept on moving until his back hit the pillar with a soft thump.

She placed a gentle kiss on the underside of his jaw and then moved her way up, planting light kisses all the way along his jaw until she was standing on her toes and teasing him with whisper light kisses against his lips. His hands tightened on her, gripping the heavy material of her jacket as he took control of the kiss. She all but melted against him, hands gripping his collar.

They only parted when the train's whistle blew and they heard Mrs Weasley frantically shouting his name.

'I love you Harry James Potter, no matter what happens tonight.'

'Oh, we're using full names now are we?' he joked.

She shoved him roughly against the pillar but she was smiling. He pulled her back and grinned.

'I love you too, Alexandria Leah Potter,' he informed her, leaning down to once more capture her lips.

There was a sound like someone choking on their tongue after trying one of the twins' Tonne Tongue Toffees and Harry looked up in alarm. He felt the blood drain from his face and Ally stiffened beside him. He had never, never in all of his years, seen Mrs Weasley such a boiling shade of red. She was positively swelling with rage and Harry would have taken a step back if he wasn't already so firmly pressed against a brick wall.

There was no way of escape.

The whistle blew its final warning and Harry could hear Ron shouting for him to hurry up. They were still tucked out of view of the people on the train but Harry could see wizards in uniform walking along the train and closing the carriage doors.

It was cowardly and shameful but it was an easy way out that didn't involve him almost dying when he had important plans in motion. He moved at the exact moment Ally did, a synchronisation he probably could have had with his worst enemy given the visage of Mrs Weasley.

'Bye!' he shouted, slipping toward the train before Mrs Weasley had a chance to move.

Behind him he heard Ally vanish into flames but he wasn't game enough to look back. He just really hoped Mrs Weasley didn't have time to pull her wand. He grabbed Ron's outstretched hand and swung himself up into the carriage just as the train began to move. The door slammed shut behind him and a stunner bounced off it.

Ron looked at him in alarm.

'I think,' Harry panted. 'I think your mother knows about me and Ally.'

'If Voldemort doesn't kill you tonight, mum will.'

Harry could do nothing but groan and follow Ron to the compartment the ADADA had somehow squashed themselves into. It was a bit of a tight fit but it was only temporary. Harry looked around from the doorway in a bit of a daze and it took a not-so-gentle shove from Ron to bring him back to things far less terrifying than the look on Mrs Weasley's face.

'Right,' he said, choosing not to notice the way his voice cracked slightly. 'Everything in position?'

It was a question he really didn't need to ask, Ally had trained them all so well they could have likely gone ahead without coming together in the compartment at all. It was a comfort thing mostly, a quick gathering before the world went to hell.

'We're ready,' Susan confirmed.

'Then you know what to do.'

Harry looked around at each and every one of his friends, with the exception of Steven who was still at Hogwarts. They wore expressions that ranged from slightly nervous to downright terrified but it was hard to tell. They were hiding it well and he felt proud of what he and Ally had accomplished, of what these students had accomplished.

'Tonight,' he stated, 'we take down the Ministry of Magic.'


	65. Chapter 59

**a/n: **i had actual chills of anticipation writing this chapter. i hope you like it, its fresh from my mind and hopefully not rushed. but you know how it goes, there's a flow and oyu just don't want to interrupt. please let me know your thoughts and thanks again to everyone who took the time to review!

**Chapter 59**

Patience was never really something Harry had much of, that much could be easily seen from the way he rushed off to do things. Sitting around and going through classes while he waited for Voldemort to make his move was almost painful. Their whole plan rested on Voldemort taking action quickly and not as slowly as he had been for the past months. Snape had assured them it would work but could they be sure of anything when it came to Voldemort?

Professor McGonagall was kind enough to pretend she hadn't noticed the way he couldn't relax into her morning class. She gave him work to do like all the others but then made no comment when he completed his work on the first try and went back to almost bouncing out of his seat.

Professor Snape wasn't as kind but he also tolerated Harry's mood because he'd had the twins first and compared to them a jittery Harry was a pleasant experience. Harry didn't ask what had happened but he gathered it had something to do with the funny tree like thing that was growing out of the roof and dropping horrible slime onto unsuspecting students.

It went to show how much Snape himself was concerned for their plan that he hadn't even tried to remove the thing.

Lunch was a tense affair. The ADADA came together at the end of the Gryffindor table and ate enough to put the Weasley boys to shame. It wasn't that they were particularly hungry but when you're facing the prospect of not getting the chance to eat for an undetermined length of time it's hard not to eat more than normal.

Conversation was light and it flowed freely but anyone watching closely enough could see that something was going on, more so when you studied Hermione for longer than a second. Her face was pale, drained of colour and she kept glancing up at the staff table as though she wasn't quite prepared to go without saying something to Dumbledore.

In contrast to the mood hanging over the ADADA Ally was happily chatting away with Professor Sprout about some new plant the Herbology professor had just managed to get her hands on. The short woman was positively beaming over Ally's interest and answered her questions eagerly and in detail.

'How does she do it?' Hermione demanded of Harry in a hiss, unintentionally gaining the whole groups attention.

'Three hundred years of practice?' Harry suggested. 'She slept fine last night; I kept expecting to wake up with her rambling on at Molly.'

'She rambles when she's nervous?' Hermione asked with interest. It was still new to her, all of the little things everyone else seemed to know about Harry and Ally and she liked hearing things directly from Harry.

'The first day I met her she didn't stop talking, even when we were having lunch she was telling me all of this stuff that I really didn't care about.'

Ginny gave him an amused look but Hermione was actually interested, maybe they would have continued talking but Voldemort chose that moment, the one unguarded moment they were having to set their plan in motion.

Harry buckled over the table, hands grasping at his head as images poured in, as emotions that didn't belong to him battered at him. It lasted barely a minute but it was enough for Harry to know and understand it for what it was, or what it was supposed to be.

Voldemort had left Harry feeling his happiness, his pleasure and his sick need for the knowledge of what he was about to receive. His triumph had positively filled Harry and, was he not prepared, had he not taken steps to ensure such a thing happened, he could see himself doing something stupid. He could see how this kind of thing would have worked on him once. There was nothing he wouldn't do for Sirius, especially a Sirius in trouble.

When he could finally raise his head he locked eyes with Ally who had broken off her discussion with Professor Sprout midsentence and nodded sharply. He didn't keep watching, he didn't need to as he already knew what she would do. Instead he turned to the ADADA who were looking at him with concern but were all sitting upright and looked ready for battle.

'Go,' he ordered.

He didn't even get a nod to acknowledge his orders but he knew they would do what was needed, they'd been planning this assault on the Ministry and Voldemort's forces for months. Only Hermione stayed at the table with him, too new to the ADADA to be joining the fight or to leave without first making sure Harry was okay.

'I'm fine, Hermione, you need to go.'

'I hope you know what you're doing, Harry, I really do.'

Once her words might have had an impact, he might have actually considered what he was doing before just ignoring her and doing what he wanted anyway. Now he didn't even bother to consider it, he was doing what had to be done and she wouldn't have agreed to it if she didn't think he had some idea what he was doing. Hermione may not understand all of the changes he'd undergone but she'd seen enough to know that he had done a lot to get to where he was.

He waited until she was gone before he stood from the table. He had places to be.

**

* * *

**

Ron took control of the situation immediately after everyone reported to the ADADA room. It wasn't just the students, McGonagall, Snape, Madam Pomfrey and even a few house elves had turned up for this particular meeting. Other members would be receiving word shortly and making their own arrangements as per the plans they'd already set in motion.

'Each and every one of you should have one of the twins' kits, I want you outfitted properly with everything we have. Spell grenades, healing potions, emergency portkeys, if you don't have one piece of equipment from my list you are not leaving this room.'

Ron didn't pace as he gave out instructions, he didn't show any sign that he was doing anything more important than addressing a house Quidditch team before their first game. He stood before them, gazing at each and every one of them with fierce determination. They would win, his look said, and they were bloody well going to do it properly.

'Now Voldemort won't make his move until tonight and by then it will be too late so we get in position before he arrives with his Death Eaters and we wait. It's going to be long and boring but you will not give away your position, understood?'

Ginny rolled her eyes. 'We know all of this, Ron. _We know_.'

He didn't even falter when he glared at her and said, 'Just go.'

They came forward one or two at a time to grab the pre-prepared kits. They took knives off the weapons wall and made sure that their wand holsters were adjusted properly. One or two added something extra because they would be entering the Ministry in a slightly more open manner. Steven was decked out like Mundungus Fletcher on one of his better, cleaner days, wearing all of his ADADA gear underneath the getup that was ready and easy to be stripped away.

'Good luck.'

Ron knew, whether they liked it or not, they were going to need all the luck they could get. He gave a final look around the ADADA room before he headed out after the others. Hermione offered him a weak smile as he left but he wasn't sure he responded. It was entirely possible he was walking to his death and he didn't even care. He was doing what needed to be done and as long as Voldemort was defeated what did it matter in the end if a few of them didn't make it?

Daphne was waiting for him in the Hogsmeade tunnel, the others already having gone ahead. She offered him a light grin that didn't quite meet her eyes and stepped up close into him, pressing against him as best she could. They didn't speak, just stood looking at each other for longer than was probably necessary. She gave him a quick but fierce kiss and then darted off into the tunnel.

'I am not dying today,' he said fiercely. 'Not at Voldemort's hands anyway,' he added as an afterthought.

He shot off down the tunnel, Daphne just a slight dark figure jogging ahead. He watched her reach the point just outside the Hogwarts wards and vanish without a sound. He reached it moments after and with a quick, steadying breath he disapparated.

**

* * *

**

Geraldine House was having one of those days. She'd got up early after a late night spent raiding a muggle village to come into work and fill out all of the paperwork she'd been neglecting for the last week. Leading a double life, devoting her free time and her nights to the Dark Lord was wearing on her very nerve. She longed for the old days when just being a Death Eater was job enough.

These days, there were still bills to be paid and mouths to feed. She was in a good position to help the Dark Lord, she was a highly qualified and respected Auror, after all but she was so tired. When the Dark Lord showed himself there would be no more cloak and dagger, she would be out there during daylight hours showing her support.

But for now there was paperwork.

A commotion down the hall drew her attention and she stuck her head around the side of her cubicle to watch two junior Aurors and a senior Auror struggling to contain a young witch who was putting up a hell of a fight. Finally, fed up, the senior Auror slapped the witch with a stunner and a silencing charm and she slumped forward.

Geraldine shrugged and went back to work. Every group of law enforcement in the world sometimes had to deal with unruly young people thinking they were something tough. No doubt she'd spend a day in the cells until mummy or daddy came to collect her.

**

* * *

**

Arthur Weasley was enjoying his first day back in the office. He was taking it easy as per his wife's instructions but he was still enjoying being out of the house. He had some paper work to do and if he was lucky, something would come up around lunch time that would occupy his afternoon and quite possibly make him late for dinner so he didn't have to go home.

Things were...volatile at the moment. Molly was likely to blow at any moment, the slightest thing could set her off and he'd spent the majority of the day before trying to calm her down after what she had seen.

Harry Potter and Ally Martin kissing on platform nine and three quarters. Oh she'd seen more than that but it always seemed to come back to the image she had seared in her mind. Arthur wasn't sure what to make of it, the things she'd described to him and given him a great deal more to think about than just an underage student and his teacher.

Molly had described how Harry had fled and how Ally had disappeared in a pillar of flames. What she'd witnessed had shed some light on something that had happened to him the night he was attacked and as such he'd been reluctant to pass judgement on Harry and Ally until he had the chance to speak with them. It hadn't gone down particularly well with the misses and he'd had quite the frosty evening.

He refused to change his mind, though. He remembered flames like she'd described first at the ministry just after his attack and again when he was taken to St Mungo's. The bits in between were a bit fuzzy but now he was able to deduce that whatever it was in between Harry and Ally had definitely been involved.

'Hello, dad.'

Arthur bumped his knee against the corner of his desk and spun around so fast he actually felt a bit sick. Surprised, he could do nothing but gape. Charlie stood, leaning casually against the wall still dressed for the Romanian outdoors. Beside him Ron wasn't leaning against the wall but standing tall and strong. He was dressed for a fight, Arthur had seen enough of those to know what should be worn if you were properly prepared. Both had serious expressions on their faces and Arthur knew.

'Tell me everything,' he instructed with a grim expression.

**

* * *

**

Susan was weighed down with so much paperwork it was a wonder she didn't topple over the moment she appeared in her aunt's office. Madam Bones' assistant was quick to dart forward and relieve some of the burden and the two quickly laid it all out on the floor.

'Where's Aunt Amelia?' Susan asked as they worked.

'A meeting, she's got a busy day and we couldn't cancel everything.'

'Got to keep the day looking as normal as possible.'

'Does she know what's happening?'

'Who?' Susan asked with a frown.

'The woman I'm impersonating,' Ginny clarified, looking up at Susan through very different grey eyes.

'She knows. She's spending the day with her family.'

'Wise choice.'

'Yeah.'

They went to work on the paperwork, assembling everything in an easy order that meant it was all at their fingertips. Folders and envelopes covered the floor of Amelia Bones' office and each and every one of them contained enough information to incriminate a witch or wizard of working for or aiding Voldemort in his cause.

If all went well they would all be captured or at the very least outed by the time this fight was over.

'I wonder how Emmy's doing.' Ginny asked when they were done.

'Better than Abby, that's for sure.'

**

* * *

**

Abby was swearing up a storm. In her head. It wouldn't have made much of a difference saying her creative words out loud as she couldn't move a muscle. When the idea had come up she'd been one of the ones who thought it was a great idea. Actually having to be the one to do it made it a whole lot less funny. She wished she could have taken Emmy's place, spending the afternoon in a cell was preferable to this.

Anything was preferable to spending a day pretending to be a statue. And alright, it wasn't going to be a whole day but anything was too long when you weren't allowed to move and you really wanted to scratch your knee. She couldn't understand how muggles did this kind of thing for entertainment. She'd seen one on the streets of London once and at the time she'd though it was funny.

It wasn't.

Sure she was in the perfect spot to see everyone come and go and yeah she was going to be the first point of warning that Voldemort and his Death Eaters were coming but a statue? A STATUE! They could have made one of the house elves do it or even Luna. Luna probably would have made a great statue. Instead Luna was downstairs with one of the Hogwarts elves lying her way through to see someone in the Department of Magical Creatures.

'_Stupid lucky Luna,_' Abby grumbled.

**

* * *

**

It was unfortunate that the majority of people they were meeting with weren't able to access Grimmauld Place. It would have made things so much easier but Sirius had yet to work around the Fidelus charm as effectively as Ally and Ruby had by ignoring it all together. He wasn't quite sure how Ruby had gotten around it but Ally had given some explanation about being unable to keep magical secrets between mated phoenixes.

He hadn't really been listening but the point was they were trying to have a huge stealthy meeting in a not so stealthy place. Anyone could see them coming and going they just had to hope that they were all good enough to avoid detection. Still, there shouldn't be anyone watching Xenophilius Lovegood so he was an ideal candidate to host a meeting of the minds.

Throughout the day, dozens of witches and wizards of various ages, occupations and affiliations had wandered in and out of the Lovegood home. Now with the sun setting and the day winding down there was a feeling of dread and anticipation building that was almost palpable.

It seemed that each second carried an hour of time as they waited, trying not to clock watch, for the signal. Xeno offered everyone food but no one really ate more than a nibble. If things went wrong, they wouldn't just be going wrong they'd be going to hell.

Sirius took a shot of Firewhiskey that was offered and as he threw it back a puff of fake feathers exploded in the middle of the room. Fleur Delacour was the one to reach forward and snatch the fuzzy owl out of the air. She tugged off the note attached to it and skimmed it with nervous eyes. She took a deep breath before she looked up at those gathered.

'It iz time.'

**

* * *

**

In London, in the Ministry of Magic, Death Eaters entered the Department of Mysteries and took up the positions their master had ordered. They settled in to wait for Potter to come to the rescue.

In a cell in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Emmy blasted her door off its hinges and stepped out into a poorly lit corridor. She made her way back to the Auror offices where she knew Geraldine House would be waiting.

Abby threw off the spell that had given her the appearance of a golden statue and stepped down onto the marble floor of the atrium. Wand at the ready she set off, she had Death Eaters to trap.

Ginny let the polyjuice potion wear off, Steven stripped off his Dung gear, Amelia Bones sent a signal to all those in the organisation and in a small office that made up the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts three Weasley men prepared to fight.

The Ministry was about to fall.


	66. Chapter 60

**a/n: **WARNING! this chapter contains some gruesome stuff, i don't think its bad enough to up the rating but that's just me. enjoy it and please tell me your thoughts.

**Chapter 60**

If Lucius Malfoy had ever had the chance to tell the tale of the battle at the Ministry of Magic he would have made sure to begin with his entrance into the Hall of Prophecy.

The much edited version.

The group of five Death Eaters were well hidden beneath stealth charms when they entered the Department of Mysteries and made their way unerringly toward the Hall of Prophecy. Voldemort had assured them Harry Potter would soon arrive, desperate and afraid but ready to rescue a godfather who had never been at risk.

If there was something a little off about the way the door swung shut behind them it was brushed off as an oddity that was merely part of the DoM. With silent but aggressive hand motions, Malfoy directed his men to where they were needed. They'd received the same instruction as he had but it gave him a great deal of pleasure to treat them all as inferior. His position within Voldemort's inner circle was a statement of his importance.

The others did as they were told, not out of any respect to Malfoy but because he had merely relayed the Dark Lord's instructions. They melted off into the shadows and Malfoy waited a few moments to be sure they were in position before he moved to take his own. Satisfied, he took a step forward but was brought up short by the sudden appearance of a man in front of him.

Malfoy's eyes widened and he realised quite quickly that things were not as they had seemed.

'Hello Lucius.'

Harry struck quickly and without preamble, shooting a quick and deadly spell at Lucius that the Death Eater only managed to avoid by dropping low. Behind him a shelf of prophecies exploded, showering him with tiny glass fragments. He was retaliating before the shards had even reached the ground.

He lunged forward, a spell tumbling from his lips in a harsh snarl but Harry flung up a shield that absorbed the spell and tossed back his own. Back and forth they fought, Harry leaving no room for Lucius to attempt any form of battle banter. That's not to say he didn't try, Lucius was eager to discover how they had been beaten to the Ministry and how Harry had known what to expect.

Lucius sucked in a deep breath, jumping onto a low shelf that had somehow survived their assault. With the added height he was able to get a quick glimpse around the rest of the Hall and what he saw made him falter in disbelief.

The Weasley twins were battling back and forth with much vigour, laughing and cracking jokes as they easily whipped two of his Death Eaters into an insensible muddle. Spells lit up the room around them as they swapped partners, shielded each other and took out a good portion of the Hall while they successfully fought their Death Eater opponents.

Closer to his own position Ally Martin was battling fiercely with Bellatrix while her companion teased and taunted Bella's husband. Though the fight between Voldemort's most favoured servant and Dumbledore's DADA professor was a closely fought mess of blood and spells, the one between Rodolphus and the unknown friend was greatly uneven.

The woman was toying with him, drawing the fight out as she proved time and again that her duelling skills were by far superior. As he watched, the woman appeared to get bored and with a final sharp slash of her wand Rodolphus fell, blood spattering the shelves around him and staining the crystal balls red.

He had no time to dwell on how his companions were faring and he threw the Cruciatus Curse at Harry with such vicious intent that the spell slammed through Harry's shield and tore at him with pain. For a moment he allowed the pain to get the better of him and it put Lucius off guard long enough for Harry to snap out a spell around a mouth full of blood that smashed the shelves down around the Death Eater's ears.

One particular shelf clobbered him forcefully on the head and the torture on Harry finally let up. Shaken but not deterred Harry threw himself back into the fight against Lucius with a vindictive curse that tore open the man's arm as though it were tissue paper. Lucius cried out, dropping to his knees and clutching at what had survived of his arm. The muscle and skin were in ribbons hanging precariously around the surviving bone.

He tried to fire the Killing Curse at Harry but the pain he was experiencing betrayed him and his focus shattered. Harry stepped calmly up to him and bound him in unbreakable chains. He pressed the tip of his wand under Lucius' throat and leant in close to speak directly into the Death Eater's ear.

'This trap was never for me.'

With quick assured motions Harry removed the man's wand and checked him over for portkeys or any other magical devices that might cause any future trouble. Satisfied, he turned his back on Lucius Malfoy and walked away. He knew that without help the man would die but he was not about to give it. It was a horrible way to go but not one he was particularly undeserving of.

**

* * *

**

Despite the situation and the fact that any wrong move could mean her death, Ally was rather impressed by the skill Bellatrix was demonstrating. For a woman who generally gave off the impression she was insane she was showing excellent skill and physical prowess. It was a real struggle to keep ahead of the Death Eater's moves and a traitorous part of Ally was enjoying it.

It had been decades since she'd fought an enemy with such skill and it was oddly refreshing now to have someone to truly test her own skills against. With Harry there was never any real risk of death but against Bellatrix it was real tooth and nail, back against the wall, rip into her type violence.

She was covered in welts and bruises, she was bleeding in multiple places and she was pretty sure she had a broken collarbone but she was still upright, still fighting and still smiling. Alright, perhaps grimacing was a better description. She spat out a mouthful of blood and slammed bodily into Bellatrix. She could feel bones shifting and had to acknowledge, if not out loud then at least in her head, that she'd just broken a rib that had previously only been badly bruised.

They hit the floor, Bellatrix slamming into it back first and letting out a howl that sounded half laugh, half cry of pain as one of her own ribs snapped and pierced through flesh. Ally rolled free and was on her feet in an instant but it seemed that Bellatrix had finally had enough. With a laugh of glee she ran, weaving in and out of the shelves so most of Ally's spells ended up obliterating shelving and prophecies rather than her opponent.

Suddenly Harry was beside her, both chasing after Bellatrix but Harry was largely undamaged and when Ally coughed up another mouthful of blood it became clear she wasn't going to be catching the crazed woman any time soon. She nodded to Harry and slowed her pace as he put on extra speed and tore after Bellatrix. Acknowledging she was the slower she continued after them but without the single-mindedness that had left her blind to the other battles going on around her.

She fired a banishing charm at a Death Eater Fred was fighting and didn't look back to see it hit the shelving behind them, causing a big enough distraction for Fred to gut him. She blew though the door of the Hall of Prophecy and stopped long enough to request the exit. When the correct door had spun into view she picked up the pace and slammed through.

She almost collided with Steven coming out of a stairwell but managed to dart around him at the last minute. She gave him a brief glance in greeting before they each continued on their way, he pursued by a group of transfigured warriors directed his way by a much pissed off member of the Sport and Games Department. The middle aged wizard followed his warriors at a leisurely pace that allowed him to occasionally give an order or a chortle of laughter.

He wouldn't be laughing long when he arrived where Steven was leading.

Down another corridor and through an unassuming door, Ally burst out into the atrium and ducked sharply to avoid the stunner sent her way by Abby.

'Sorry,' Abby apologised quickly, spinning around to face another doorway and this time stunning a Death Eater.

Abby obviously hadn't had a lot of time before Death Eaters started coming in as she was still mostly gold. She had her own features back but the spell that had been used to give her the golden appearance of the statues in the fountain had yet to wear off. It was a strange but usefully distracting sight.

The doorways and fireplaces around the atrium were cluttered with the fallen bodies of Death Eaters and Ally took a moment to be concerned by the large number. Somehow, despite everything they had put in place, one of the Death Eaters from the initial raid must have gotten out a plea for help.

'Nagini's here somewhere,' Abby said, answering Ally's unspoken question. 'Voldemort's got his eyes and ears.'

'Any word from the others?' Ally asked, taking up the task of binding and moving the fallen Death Eaters. She would arrange them into neat rows that would allow for simple distribution of the incriminating paperwork.

'Hermione sent word a few minutes ago that Jesse had been wounded but he'd managed to kill the Death Eater we sent to him. He's with madam Pomfrey now and so is Luna, something happened up in the DoMC. I don't know the full story but,' here she paused to stun another Death Eater trying to enter via the Floo Network, 'Dobby managed to capture the two wizards in the department and he sent Luna on.'

'What about the others?'

'Bill and Fleur are leading the raid on the safe house and Sirius is with Lupin and Tonks in the den Remus found. They've had some injuries and we lost a few people but mostly we're good.'

At that moment the floor beneath them exploded.

**

* * *

**

Minerva McGonagall stood back to back with Sirius Black in the middle of an all out brawl. The room was dark, lit only by a few candles and the volley of spell fire. The air was filled with shouted spells and the not entirely animalistic growls of the human form werewolves. There was a rancid smell in the air, like stale beer and old meat. Was she not desperately fighting for her life Minerva may have taken the time to gag or perhaps vomit.

She slashed her wand through the air in front of her and sent red sparks cascading into the slumping form of a boy who couldn't have been more than thirteen but was already well entrenched in the life of a werewolf. The boy fell, body slumping over the remains of a coffee table that had only served to get in their way.

She felt a subtle change in the form against her back and dropped suddenly, just in time to avoid a killing curse Sirius had ducked to avoid. She spun around taking over the fight with Fenrir Greyback and snapped at him with a dangerous transfiguration spell that would do interesting and disabling things to his legs. Thick roots formed from the man's leg hair, thickening and sinking down into the floor until he was unable to move.

Though his legs had essentially become the trunk of a new tree he was still free to move his arms and he chose to do so by shooting a spell back at her. Minerva batted it away with a shield and was struck across the face with a whipping charm. Warm blood seeped down her chin as her cheek was split open but she never stopped in her battle. She launched forward, severing charm at the ready and used it in a lethal manner she would never have before considered using.

The head of Fenrir Greyback rolled helplessly to the floor, his body still held in position by its new roots. Perhaps, under other circumstances, maybe if she had been fighting an ordinary Death Eater, Minerva might have felt some horror at what she had done. Instead, she was fighting the leader of Voldemort's werewolf forces, a man who enjoyed the taste of human flesh even when not in wolf form. The very same man who had been responsible for the death and turning of numerous young children.

He was deserving of death, her only regret that it had been quick and painless.

She spun left moving out of Sirius' way as he dove after a middle aged witch who had snatched up a small girl and was planning to take her hostage. Sirius' deadly spell collided with the woman's face just as Minerva's own spell yanked the young girl free of the werewolf's hands.

Minerva slipped a portkey around the innocent girl's neck and slammed her hand against it, activating the emergency medical portkey before turning and dashing after Sirius. The further they moved into the dark den the more evidence there was that the girl had not been the first. Various children of different ages were huddled in corners or chained to walls. Some were dead, others bore the signs of bites.

Many would likely grow up wishing they had died in this hellhole. Furious, Minerva cut down those she could. Dead or alive it didn't matter, she laced them with portkeys and sent them on their way. There would be parents wanting to know their children's fate and even if the news was bad at least it would give them closure to have the bodies of the lost.

A werewolf stumbled into her path, bleeding heavily from a gut wound. She cut him down without a second thought, there were horrors here that she would not wish on anyone and tonight she would be one of them.

No werewolf stood a chance.

**

* * *

**

Dinner had gone cold while she waited for Arthur to return from work. Every now and then she would check the clock to see that his hand still placed him firmly at work. But that was an hour ago. An hour ago she'd been mad but she hadn't been too worried. An hour ago the hand of every one of her family hadn't been set on mortal peril.

Terrified and not knowing what else to do, she snatched up her wand donned her coat and tossed a handful of Floo Powder into the fire. Grimmauld Place was empty and silent when she arrived, no sign of Sirius or Tonks or even Ruby. At this point Molly would have been happy to see Ruby and she could barely stand the woman.

With her heart beating frantically in her chest she tossed another handful of powder in the fire and shouted the address for Dumbledore's office. The nausea inspired by the rapid spinning was nothing to that of the nausea she had from terror. She tumbled out into the headmaster's office surprising Dumbledore who sat bowed over his desk. He looked up when she fell onto the rug but quickly hurried to help her up.

'What has happened?' he asked urgently, guiding her gently into a chair.

Eyes wide and fearful she explained what had happened. She told him about the clock and the empty halls of Grimmauld Place and with tears rolling down her cheeks she told him how terrified she was to lose Arthur and how she was horrified the last thing she would have said to him were angry words about Harry.

After listening to her story and becoming more nervous for it, Dumbledore sent an urgent message via Patronus to Snape. While he waited for the reply he checked every instrument he had to make sure the wards around Hogwarts were still standing and that there had been nothing happening under his nose.

The reply that finally came back, after Dumbledore had spent ten frantic minutes searching for answers, was a harried and simple message that the potions master was busy. He tried to summon McGonagall but the message he received in reply was even more abrupt and agitated than the one from Severus. With his heart sinking, Dumbledore at last turned to the portraits of old headmasters and prepared to use them to convey a message.

He didn't get very far because he'd turned around just in time to watch Anadina Smith dive from her frame, tackle Phineas Black to the floor of his and proceed to stuff her sock in his mouth while using his own belt to hogtie him. She froze when she became aware of every eye in the room on her and then grinned sheepishly at Dumbledore.

'Don't suppose there's any chance you didn't see that?'

Dumbledore swelled with fury and Molly quelled in her seat, having never seen Dumbledore so furious. Not even when he'd been chewing Sirius out for disobeying orders.

'You will tell me everything.'

Over the past few quiet and incredibly tense moments it had become clear to Dumbledore that something was happening. Something that no doubt involved Harry and if he was right the new group that was working to oppose Voldemort. It couldn't be coincidence that the Weasley's were in mortal peril and that his transfiguration and potions professors were busy.

Fawkes trilled suddenly, a beautiful yet sad song and, once again in her own frame, Anadina Smith sighed. She made a big production of getting comfortable and shifted a few times; trying to ignore the look Dumbledore was giving her. There was only so long she could hold out, however, as the portraits were designed to be aids to the current headmaster. There was only so long she could disobey him for.

'I was tasked with a message,' she said finally. ' "The Ministry is falling." '

Alarmed, Dumbledore immediately ordered Everard to the Ministry to check what was happening. The man was gone just three minutes before he came back. His eyes were wide in shock and he mouthed soundlessly for several long and agonising moments before he could finally work up the strength to make sense of what he'd seen.

'It's mayhem!' he declared hoarsely. 'Death Eaters down all over the place!'

'What of Harry and the others?'

'I didn't see Potter,' Everard replied. 'I did see Ally Martin and Abigail Nathan, however. They're badly hurt Albus.'

Dumbledore was in motion before Everard had finished speaking. He moved toward the fireplace with furious steps. 'That foolish boy!'

He snatched a tin of Floo Powder off the mantle, tossed a handful of powder in and roared his destination. Molly Weasley was just seconds behind.


	67. Chapter 61

**a/n: **i have had this ready for days but i had internet problems (evil stupid people at telecom). As always i appreciate your kind words and your thoughts. QuietLion, either turn on your PM feature or stop asking me questions i want to answer. Its very frustrating. There's not going to be some trashy blase epilogue ala JKR that makes you angry and anoyed, there'll be two more stories that should hopefully answer any questions left lingering. Enter Dumbledore...

**Chapter 61**

Fighting Bellatrix was like a good bitch slap. The power and desire to hurt was there but the urge to kill was about as strong as a newborn kitten. Sure she wanted to kill him but what she wanted and what her master wanted were two entirely different things. Bella had a clear order when it came to Harry and that meant that while she was free to try and kill Ally, the best she could do was toy with and annoy Harry.

It was getting on his last nerve. He had no problem killing Bella and if they weren't so evenly matched he'd have done it already but it was incredibly frustrating to fight someone who insisted on cackling merrily and shooting practically harmful spells back at you.

'A body bind?' he shouted after her incredulously, slapping the harmless curse aside with the back of his hand. 'Could you at least pretend you're not totally whipped and try something a little more deadly?'

She shot a well aimed Cruciatus over her shoulder that he had to dive aside to avoid and, bizarrely, he felt a little better.

They blew through yet another door, the room they entered just as much of a blur as it passed as everyone before it had been. For one moment Harry could have sworn he saw some gold light but he didn't take the time to glance around and find its source. His focus was solely on Bellatrix as she led him on a seemingly never-ending chase through the bowels of the Ministry of Magic.

Forced to slow when her spell to blast open a door rebounded, Harry shot her in the back with a stinging hex. She stumbled slightly but it didn't stop her. She was on her feet and moving again before he could catch up. For someone who'd spent the last twelve years in Azkaban she was ridiculously fit.

Harry slammed through a heavy door, causing a slight twinge to surge up his wrist and stumbled down a few steps. The unexpected change to the floor had taken Bella just as much by surprise as it had him. He just recovered faster. It helped that most of her spells had missed and his duel with Lucius had been more than a little disappointing.

He slammed into her and they both went tumbling down the stone steps. Pain lanced through him as he landed rough time and time again until finally they came to a stop, side by side, at the bottom. Harry was in a crouch before she'd had the chance to catch her breath. Blood was dripping from the corner of her mouth and her breathing was wheezy.

Ally had obviously gotten in quite a few decent shots before Bella had turned to flee. The front of the Death Eater's dress was stained red, a large horrid stain that spread over her ribs. Harry didn't feel the slightest bit sorry for her, more than aware of the things she had done to land her in Azkaban.

He shot her in the face with a freezing charm but she blocked it with a shield and then with a cackle she disappeared. Harry froze; her disappearing act was not something he'd ever seen before. She hadn't used a portkey and she certainly hadn't disapparated because they had spells up preventing both.

He slowly stood up, making as little sound as possible and trying not to make any sudden moves. She was in the room with him but where was anyone's guess. It hadn't felt like she moved passed him but then that could be part of the spell. He could leave, wait her out until she was forced to go back to the atrium as the only way out or he could give it a few minutes to see if her strength was failing her and wait for her to reappear.

It was the slight trail of blood that decided he would take neither option. Employing his own stealth charms, Harry silently followed the trail she had unknowingly left. It went not toward any exit but to the middle of the room where a large arch stood prominent. As he got closer Harry swore he could hear whispers. They seemed to be coming from the arch itself and they felt like a tug on him. Like they were calling him forward.

Wary he was just a few steps away when he realised his mistake. Bella was clever, she was extremely clever. She was perfectly capable of setting a trap for him, even suffering from so much pain and blood loss. She gave him a good shove and he stumbled forward, arm automatically flying out for purchase and instead slipping through the weird veil that hung over the arch. A strange empty feeling started in his fingers and travelled slowly up his arm.

It felt like nothing. It was spreading, sucking him in slowly and there was still the whispering. For one terrifying moment Harry felt himself start to lean forward. Some part of him was desperate to hear the words being seductively issued from behind the veil. They called to him, tugging at his heart like he should know them. He knew it was part of its charm but it was hard to fight something that pulled so strongly.

Harry flamed. It was an ability he hadn't planned to use in view of any Death Eater but he hadn't felt like he had much choice. The fall and strange nothing-like feeling had lasted mere seconds but those seconds had felt like an eternity to Harry. It wasn't something he was eager to experience again.

He appeared behind a now visible Bella and grabbed at the back of her head, fisting his hand in her hair and getting a nice and tight grip. He pressed his wand into her back and muttered a strong compulsion spell that would hopefully have her following his instructions. At least for a few minutes before she fought it off. She was weak and she'd lost a lot of blood, hopefully that would make it harder for her to fight off his spell.

He snatched her wand out of her hand and slipped it into his boot. It was within easy reach of her hands but it was a risk he was willing to take. There were plenty of things they could learn from the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange.

He gave her hair another sharp tug to make sure he had her attention. She whimpered slightly but he wasn't fool enough to think it was because of anything he was doing.

'We're going for a walk,' he snarled.

**

* * *

**

When Ally managed to blink away the dust from her eyes she found Abby crouching over her looking extremely concerned. While she hurt all over she couldn't say it was all that worse than it had already been before the floor exploded. Although, Abby was now sporting a large gash to her forehead that was steadily bleeding down her face and neck. It couldn't have been as bad as it looked because she hadn't bothered to do anything about it.

Ally tried to sit up and that was when the fresh wave of aches and pains hit her. She collapsed back to the floor with a groan and squeezed her eyes shut against the dancing spots splashing in her vision. After a moment to get her dizziness under control Ally reached out a hand for Abby to help her up. Abby hesitated for a moment before she took Ally's outstretched hand, gripping under her elbow she pulled the phoenix to her feet.

A section of floor slid aside as she stood and for the first time she was able to get a good look at the damage. The atrium was a mess. The floor, when it exploded, had sent chunks of marble and other debris high into the air and in several other directions. The water in the fountain was a murky dust coloured mess, the statue of the house elf had lost its head and the centaur was missing a leg. Chinks had been taken out of each of the other statues until it looked old and tarnished. Not at all like the shining example of unity it was supposed to be.

Not that it ever really was that but that's beside the point.

The bodies of the dead and unconscious Death Eaters were covered in debris, nothing particularly fatal for those not already dead but enough to be uncomfortable and to leave some damage. The explosion hadn't reached as far as the lifts or the collection of fireplaces but it had created a barrier between the two.

'What happened?' Ally asked, moving toward the large hole that was now in the atrium floor.

Abby shrugged, peering over the edge and into the darkened room bellow. 'No word from the others but I think it must have been Steven, he was leading those transfigured warriors right to Ginny and Susan.'

Another, smaller, explosion rocked the room and Ally lost her footing. Abby grabbed her arm to stop her from falling and she cried out in pain. Extending her arm and having it pulled had stretched out her ribs and there was a horrible wrenching of bones that couldn't be good.

'Maybe I'll just sit down?' Ally suggested.

Nodding her agreement, Abby helped Ally over to the fountain and eased her down to rest against the edge of the pool. It was almost impossible to see the coins in the bottom now.

Over the quaking of the floor and the still settling debris, neither heard the whoosh of flames in a fireplace. It wasn't until a shriek came from behind them that Abby spun around sharply. A powerful blasting curse exploded from her wand before she'd even registered who had arrived.

'Protego!'

A shield charm snapped up in front of Dumbledore and Mrs Weasley, blocking the curse. It was a powerful shield but Dumbledore obviously hadn't expected Abby's spell to be so strong. The blasting hex smashed against his shield with enough forced to have him stumbling backward. He recovered quickly enough but Abby was already turning to fire a deadly charm at a Death Eater popping out of the next fireplace.

Abby's charm impacted her chest and the Death Eater recoiled sharply under the assault. Blood soaked the front of her robes and she collapsed. She was dead before Dumbledore or Mrs Weasley could react.

'Miss Nathan!' Dumbledore roared, appalled by her behaviour. 'You will tell me what is going on immediately!'

He strode toward her, picking his way through debris with Mrs Weasley trailing after him. Her face was pale and though she was shaking slightly and looked scared her wand was held loosely in her hand and she looked prepared to fight.

Abby was impressed though she didn't think mentioning that was a good idea. 'We're busy, help or leave,' she told him shortly.

Dumbledore swelled with indignation and rage at being so readily dismissed by a fourth year but Mrs Weasley had spotted Ally and, despite hating the woman with everything she had at the moment, she couldn't sit back and do nothing while she was obviously badly injured.

Mrs Weasley pushed passed Dumbledore and crouched beside the fallen Ally, automatically placing her wand on some of the worse wounds and muttering healing spells. Ally flinched involuntarily when Mrs Weasley first pulled her wand but if the Weasley matriarch noticed she didn't say anything.

In fact she didn't say anything at all the entire time she was focused on healing what she could. The frosty glare Ally received when she tried to say thank you letting everyone know she was nowhere near over what she had seen. As soon as Mrs Weasley was finished Ally pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the still very present pain and moved back to Abby's side.

'Right,' she said, snapping into General mode and looking at the two unexpected intruders and Abby. 'We've got incoming. Abby get word to the others that Voldemort is on his way. I want them prepared. Mrs Weasley, watch the doors, anyone comes in that you don't recognise stun them. Dumbledore watch the fires and somebody find me that damn snake!'

'What are you going to do?' Mrs Weasley asked, even as Dumbledore opened his mouth to yell.

'Not now,' Ally snapped at the headmaster. 'You want everyone to come out of this alive you follow my orders. This is my game now, _sir_, you play by my rules.'

'Incoming portkey!' Abby shouted. 'We have Madam Bones in three, two, one!'

Dumbledore visibly startled at the name and when Madam Bones herself appeared via portkey between him and Ally he actually felt his mouth drop open. Madam Bones was dressed in full Auror combat gear, wand strapped to her arm in a leather holster, hair tied in a bun and no monocle in sight. She was covered in a funny grey slime that no one was about to question.

'How are we holding?' she demanded, glancing to Ally and causing Dumbledore's entire world to momentarily shift off balance.

'A good hunt, Amelia?' Ally responded with a slight smile.

'Splendid,' the head of the DMLE replied dryly.

'Good. We've got Death Eaters down all over the place, Steven's responsible for the floor and—oh!' She froze, body wracked with shivers. 'Blagh, Harry's in the death chamber, Bella just tried to bloody shove him through the veil!'

Madam Bones' eyes widened in horror but otherwise she made no comment. Mrs Weasley watched the whole exchange with narrow eyes and Dumbledore stood silent, frozen almost like a statue as his eyes darted between his DADA professor and the much respected head Auror.

He understood nothing of what was happening around him. Oh he understood each little thing, like the fact that Ally had apparently led her advanced defence study group on an attack of the Ministry. He understood that Madam Bones' was aware of the intrusion but beyond that comprehension was impossible.

'Sectumsempra!' Abby snarled, startling everyone with the ferocity of her curse.

The body of a Death Eater fell just steps away from the group. He fell back into a cocoon of floor that he had apparently just surfaced from. It was the push needed to snap them all out of it though and not a moment too soon. A soft crunch sounded form one of the doorways and Ally reached out a hand to still Abby's wand.

'No, it's Harry.'

Abby didn't lower her wand but she didn't fire a spell either. Harry rounded the corner with Bella and as they stepped into the atrium he loosened his hold over her. She took no time in lunging for her wand and Harry let her. She pointed at the Dark Mark on her arm and laughed.

'You're going to die,' she sing-songed.

Ally hit her from behind with a stunner and she crumpled. 'Now!' she shouted and she, Abby and Madam Bones all dropped to the floor.

A creepy filling filled the air as Harry strode forward, a cloud of darkness closed together forming the shape of a person and Voldemort appeared mere feet from the fallen form of Bella.

'Hello, Tom,' Harry greeted amicable as he fired a series of deadly spells at Voldemort.

All bounced off a shield and Harry grinned as Voldemort snapped off his own spells in retaliation. He was making a mistake though, Voldemort had never fought Harry before and Harry had rarely, if ever, left someone alive to talk. Voldemort was toying with him, assuming himself to be the far superior duellist/wizard/humanish being.

And he may well have been but he made the mistake of playing into Harry's game.

'You dare speak that name?' Voldemort hissed.

'Tom Marvolo Riddle.' Harry rolled the words around his mouth as if tasting them, testing out how they felt. 'Interesting fact about the name Riddle,' Harry added conversationally, slamming into Voldemort with a scorching hex that seared right through Voldemort's shield and slammed into him. Voldemort didn't stumble, didn't flinch but his robes smoked slightly and there was the distinct and sharp smell of burnt flesh.

'It's not a wizarding name, is it?'

With a snarl, Voldemort fired the Killing Curse at Harry and that was when things went badly wrong. He dodged the killing curse easily enough but before he could retaliate he was struck in the side by a powerful freezing charm. As his every muscle tensed and he went to work fighting the unexpected spell, Dumbledore lunged in front of him and began to duel with Voldemort.

Stuck as an incredibly slow moving observer, Harry had very little fun enjoying the light show as he watched his plans balance precariously on a knifes edge. Dumbledore, the bloody old fool had actually spelled him! Fury made it easier and within seconds, long agonising seconds, he was free.

One of Dumbledore's spells whizzed right passed Voldemort and struck Molly Weasley. Harry didn't see what had happened, just that both Ally and Madam Bones had been quick to react, erecting shields in front of the woman that served only to weaken the spell as it slammed into the crouched witch.

Truly pissed now, Harry used Dumbledore and Voldemort's distraction to flame. He appeared directly behind Voldemort and tapped him on the shoulder. Voldemort spun around, wand at the ready and Harry punched him in the face. Voldemort had spent years, decades even, building up his magical ability and the changes had wrought trouble on his physical form. The power behind Harry's phoenix enhanced blow knocked Voldemort backward.

Blood spurted from his already misshapen nose.

Behind him he felt more than heard, Ally angrily snarl a series of spells that kept Dumbledore from interfering. He ignored everything but Voldemort. He struck him again in the chest with a bludgeoning hex that crushed his ribs before Voldemort had recovered from the strangeness that was a physical blow. Apparently no one had ever had the audacity to merely punch the guy. It gave Harry a nice spark of satisfaction to know he'd been the first.

Harry never stopped firing spells as he approached the fallen form of Voldemort. Most of his spells bounced off an extremely strong shield but some got through and those were enough to prevent Voldemort from getting to his feet. He was so intently staring at Voldemort he didn't hear the whoosh after whoosh of flames in the fireplaces.

He came to stand over the fallen Voldemort and reached into his pocket, withdrawing a small crystal ball. 'Do you know what this is?' he questioned rhetorically. The moment he had pulled it from his pocket, Voldemort had fixed his eyes on it. They shone with a hunger that made Harry want to cringe.

'The prophecy.'

If Voldemort was capable of holding anything in reverence it was apparently this little sphere. Harry had fun crushing his hopes.

'This,' Harry informed him, cheerily, 'is a cheap paperweight I bought yesterday from a little shop in London.' Harry dropped the sphere and allowed it to smash against the marble beside Voldemort's head. 'The prophecy, the real prophecy, well, I destroyed that last summer.'

With a snarl of rage Voldemort lurched to his feet and Harry was tackled bodily from the side. Bella slammed into him with enough force to knock the wind out of him and crack a few of the more fragile bones in his arm. He slammed into the marble floor and twisted around in time to watch Voldemort grab Bella by the arm, haul her to her feet and the two of them vanished.

Harry allowed himself to sag back to the floor.

'That went well.'


	68. Chapter 62

**a/n: **i absolutely adore this chapter. It turned out just how i wanted it and that rarely happens. please leave me a review or even a PM with your thoughts, its much apprecited. Just two chapter to go!

**Chapter 62**

His return from the Ministry was far from triumphant. Certainly, Dumbledore had been witness to the world once more seeing the truth of Voldemort's return but he had seen so many other things last night that it didn't carry any sort of satisfaction. He'd watched Madam Bones take charge and allow Harry to fade into the background. He'd been willing to step forward and protect Harry from what was bound to happen but there had been no need.

Madam Bones had declared martial law, overriding any and all protests Fudge attempted to make with a nice stack of evidence that showed the kind of man Fudge truly was. A lot of gold had changed hands and somehow Madam Bones had found record of it. With Fudge publicly shamed it had been easy for Madam Bones to come forward and take charge.

It was unsettling to consider that Madam Bones had been so well prepared to take over because she had been working alongside Harry to organise it. Something he'd wanted to bring up with Harry but by the time Madam Bones had gotten around to releasing him from the strange invisible prison Martin had trapped him in both she and Harry were gone.

In fact if it hadn't been for the large scale destruction of the Ministry Dumbledore would have had trouble believing Martin's advanced defence group had even been there. He had no doubt that the role of a dozen children would be downplayed when the story reached the _Daily Prophet_ as Aurors had already begun arriving and they'd looked as battle wary as Madam Bones had. It hadn't been the whole department but he had definitely seen Tonks amongst them and even Sirius had arrived just as Dumbledore was stepping into the flames of a fire.

And now he stepped out, tired and wary physically and mentally. His office was dimly lit and he took a moment to brighten it with a few more candles. Fawkes was sitting on his perch, wide awake with his gaze focused intently on Dumbledore's desk. The portraits were restless in their frames, all except for Anadina Smith who appeared to have taken leave of her frame.

Harry Potter sat behind his desk. His face was a calm mask of indifference while his body relaxed in the chair as though perfectly at ease with the situation. His clothes were torn and bloodied but for the first time it wasn't the signs of a battle that Dumbledore was seeing. He'd seen enough of those on this night and perhaps it had changed him but for the first time he didn't look passed the surface and he saw the whole image Harry presented.

Dumbledore had heard professors and students alike discussing the physical changes in Harry but he had been so focused on the internal changes that those of the physical hadn't truly penetrated. What was sitting before him was a healthy teenage boy, comfortable in his skin and for the first time wearing clothes that were wholly his own. It didn't change anything, not really, but it struck Dumbledore in that moment that such an important change had gone almost completely unacknowledged by him.

He moved forward into the room proper and took the stiff chair that was normally where he asked his visitors to sit. It wasn't lost on him that it was all part of Harry's design so that he may feel what it is to be the one without answers. It was a decision he chose to accept rather than question, releasing control for the first time in decades to someone who for once knew more than he did.

'You want answers,' Harry acknowledged with a slight sarcastic twist of the lips that could have been a smirk.

'I do,' Dumbledore agreed quietly. 'I have many questions.'

'I've had questions before, what makes you think you deserve answers?'

Dumbledore sighed tiredly. He supposed it had become a game to Harry, dropping hints, leaving clues and just confusing him to the point of madness. He could not acknowledge his own faults yet because he was still unable to believe that trying to protect Harry and give him a childhood was wrong. He had kept secrets only to protect Harry, now he was forced to face the harm that those secrets had done.

In the end Harry didn't even wait for an answer. 'You can ask, you know, I can't guarantee I'll answer them.'

Harry's strange calm was throwing him off. He'd expected anger, perhaps even violence but not this calm indifference. Not logical statements and inquiries.

'Will you tell me, in your own words, how it is you came to know Ally Martin?'

It sounded like an essay question for History of Magic; perhaps in years to come it would be a question likely to appear on a History of Magic exam. Harry had no doubt once Professor Binns got around to it History of Magic would become a great deal more modern. He also had no doubt that soon the war against Voldemort would play a role in that history.

'When I arrived back at the Dursley's last summer she was waiting for me in my room. She introduced herself and told me in no uncertain terms that she was going to train me so I wouldn't die at Voldemort's hands. She wouldn't take no for an answer. She followed me around for days, talking incessantly about this, that and everything. I learnt more about her in those three days than I think Ruby ever has.

'And she learnt everything there was to know about me. She's really hard to ignore and eventually it sank in that she wasn't going away to leave me alone to brood over Cedric's death so I started talking back. And I guess that's when it really started.'

Dumbledore frowned, there were so many things wrong with what was being said that even hearing about them for the second time, and in more detail, did not help him understand.

'She had this trunk,' Harry went on before Dumbledore could interrupt. 'Liberated from the Department of Mysteries. It's a training tool, time in there moves much slower than out here in the world so trainee Unspeakables can go into the trunk and come out weeks later with years of training.'

Dumbledore's eyes widened and comprehension, some comprehension, dawned. 'The changes in your appearance and your vast new knowledge can be attributed to the trunk's properties?'

'Yes. I spent two years in that trunk with Ally and in that time I learned what I could to prepare me for what is to come. She taught me the coursework for my last three years at Hogwarts and a lot of other useful things that she's picked up over the years. And she's picked up a lot. She taught me to fight like a muggle and duel with the best of wizards. She taught me the theory behind Occlumency and Legilimency, she taught me healing spells and poisons and plenty of potions to keep Snape happy.

'She taught me to love.'

Harry made sure to keep eye contact as he let his words sink in. Dumbledore, for his part, did nothing but blink for long minutes as Harry's words penetrated. He'd had a strange niggling in the back of his mind ever since Harry mentioned his time in the trunk but now he knew what it was. Two years. Two years spent locked in a trunk with Harry and if physical changes could manifest in such a place, as Harry was evidence of, then how had she become pregnant?

'You fathered her child.' It was a statement void of all emotion. It wasn't empty or angry or tired it was simply blank.

Harry waited calmly for Dumbledore to process but didn't give him time to speak after it had sunk in. 'Her name is Molly Alexandria Potter.'

'You did not name her for your mother?' Of all the things Dumbledore imagined saying in response to such a revelation that was hardly the one he would have chosen. It slipped out, however, amongst his poorly veiled anger and terror.

'Ally has had a deal with Ruby for a long time. So no, we didn't name her for my mother.'

Thoughts were visibly beginning to stir behind Dumbledore's eyes so Harry began speaking again about his summer just to avoid any sort of explosion that Dumbledore had no right to.

'During the summer we came up with this idea to strike back at Voldemort, neither of us are made to sit back and wait, Dumbledore, launching our own counter attacks was the only way we knew to avoid going mad. All of those witches and wizards going missing or turning up dead in suspicious circumstances, all of those left with files of incriminating evidence, that was us.

'And I was having these dreams. I was dreaming of a long corridor with lots of doors and a huge room filled with glass.'

'The Department of Mysteries,' Dumbledore murmured.

'Ally worked there once before, Ruby still works there, so we went for a visit. That thing you've been guarding since the summer? That thing you were so worried that Voldemort would get his hands on? That prophecy that says I kill him or he kills me? I destroyed it last July.'

The words hung in the air with a life of their own. Locked in a prison of Ally's making Dumbledore had watched Harry confront Voldemort. He'd seen the punch that had so taken the Dark Lord by surprise, seen the way Harry had smashed a glass sphere but he had been too far away to hear the quiet words exchanged. In light of what Harry had just said, it became apparent that the young Boy Who Loved had been teasing Voldemort.

Teasing Lord Voldemort.

'It was a trap,' Dumbledore said heavily. 'You set a trap to lure Voldemort to the Ministry. How did you manage it? He would not have come for just the chance of seeing you or getting his hands on the prophecy.'

'No but he would come if he thought that he was the one setting the trap. For weeks I have been taking a potion that Snape devised that allowed me to slip into such a state that my dreams acted as a lure to Voldemort. I trapped myself in nightmares that he would be forced to see, I replayed over and over how it would destroy me to see Sirius killed and planted the idea in Voldemort's head.

'Like me, he was trapped in these dreams but because they came from me he thought he was choosing what to see. We placed the idea in his head and Snape tweaked things a little, laid down some hints that ensured Voldemort set up his trap exactly when we wanted. We spent a lot of time over the Christmas holidays putting things in place.'

'You keep saying "we", who is "we"?'

Harry grinned. 'The ADADA, members of your own Order of the Phoenix, numerous Aurors and people from the Ministry that Madam Bones knew could be trusted. Professor's McGonagall and Snape, Madam Pomfrey. Ally knows a lot of people in almost every department or place you could think of. We just showed them the truth and offered them a way to help.

'We had more than just the one plan in motion though. Last night every member of this new organization was busy taking down other locations of Voldemort's. Sirius went with McGonagall and Remus to take down a den of werewolves that Voldemort and Fenrir Greyback had converted. Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley led a raid on a Death Eater safe house with Tonks. Madam Bones herself led a raid on one of the houses Voldemort has been rumoured to use.'

Despite himself Dumbledore was impressed. Before him sat, not the boy he had feared was mixed up and balanced precariously on the edge of darkness, but a fierce man fighting for the light and to prevent Voldemort from gaining a hold. A fierce man who wasn't even sixteen and who had a young daughter and the fate of the wizarding world resting on his shoulders.

'I never wanted any of this for you,' Dumbledore spoke quietly. 'I wanted you to have a life other than what fate had dictated.'

Harry shrugged, some of his anger surfacing briefly. Dumbledore could see it in the way his shoulders tensed briefly before he managed to calm himself.

'You made the wrong choices,' Harry told him simply, though Dumbledore could hear the pain and anger in his words. 'You condemned me to a life of ignorance and pain and fear because of one stupid desire to see me live a childhood. Well I'll tell you this, old man, my childhood sucked. I was ridiculed, I was hated, I was feared because of something I might turn out to be. You did that. You made that my life when you took away my choices.

'I hate you for that.'

The words were simple and stated with very little emotion but they hit Dumbledore all the harder for their presentation as fact. It had certainly never been his intention to create such a strong rebellion in Harry but to go so far as to be hated for what he had thought were the right decisions was too far. Dumbledore would not allow Harry to hate him for something that was done with his best interest at heart.

'Are you saying this or is Ally Martin?' Dumbledore questioned.

The reaction he got was far from the one he was expecting. Harry's eyes flashed with anger and for a moment he looked like he was perfectly willing to kill Dumbledore where he sat. That was expected, that his hands on the desk burst into flames and he pushed hurriedly back from the desk to avoid setting anything alight was not.

Once on his feet he took a calming breath but he did not go so far as to extinguish whatever magic trick had allowed him to light his hands. They burned brightly, red flames spreading up Harry's arms and raising smoke from his clothes as the material of his jacket did its best to smoulder the flames. Alarmed, Dumbledore whipped out his wand to cast an extinguishing charm but with a sharp flick of a flaming wrist Harry sent the wand tumbling across the study.

'How dare you,' the cold dripped from each of Harry's words with venom that still managed to surprise Dumbledore. 'You have no idea the kind of person Ally Martin is. To think for even one second that she would go so far as to force her will and opinion on someone else.'

Harry scoffed and dropped back into the chair, no longer caring if he did set something other than his own body on fire. Beneath his hands the arms of the chair started to blacken and he knew it wouldn't be long before they were burning right along with him.

'Do you have any idea what this year would have been like without Ally's intervention? Do you have any idea just how bad things would be if she hadn't the guts to put herself out there and come to me? Let's start with my summer shall we? Locked away all by myself with no contact from the wizarding world and worse, no contact from my friends and the people I trust.

'My attitude would have gotten more and more despondent and angry without any proper outlet for all of that pent up aggression and hurt from last June. Delores Umbridge as DADA professor. Umbridge! The woman who would lick Fudge's feet if she thought it would get her anywhere. I know all about that. Instead of having a body of students capable of saving themselves you'd have unskilled children who posed a danger to themselves let alone what any Death Eater would have done to them.

'I spent a lot of time thinking about the things that could have gone wrong if it weren't for Ally and trust me they were bad. People dead and dying and Voldemort still after me! He would have found other ways to get to me, perhaps he would have captured someone I loved and killed them right in front of me.

'She didn't change me, _Albus_; she gave me the tools to change myself.'

Silence filled the room once more. The only sound breaking through Dumbledore's thoughts was that of burning wood. Harry stood gracefully from the chair and stalked toward the fire. He didn't look back but all Dumbledore could do was stare at the burning remains of his beautiful chair.

They were symbolic almost. The burned remains of his chair represented his relationship with Harry. A quick spell could fix the chair, put it right again, but there would always be an echo of what had happened. A small mark would always remain to show the damage that had been done.

A simple spell could fix Harry, too. Memory charms, compulsion charms, all could be used to alter his new attitude but they wouldn't erase what had happened. They wouldn't turn back the clock so that Dumbledore could right his wrongs. There was no spell in the world that could undo what he had done and it scared him.

There was no quick fix to this, no right words to be uttered in the right tone so that all could be forgiven. He would have to work for it, would have to take the appropriate steps to mend what was so broken between them. He remembered the early years of Harry's life at Hogwarts, when he had been young and willing to look to Dumbledore for aid, assistance, guidance and love.

They were gone now. Undone by the simplest and most complicated of things. It had always been his greatest and most revered power. It was an ability he held above all others, it was what he believed had saved Harry all of those years ago. Now that power, that ability, that celebrated emotion, had worked against him. It wasn't spite that had turned Harry against him. It wasn't Voldemort insinuating his opinions into Harry's mind and it wasn't his will pressing in on the young man.

It was love. Love for a woman who had shown him how to be strong, how to be capable. It was the love he felt for Ally Martin and the truths it had allowed him to see for himself.

Dumbledore had failed him, not last June, not years before in the Chamber of Secrets or before that with the philosopher's stone. Dumbledore had failed him on that night back when he had first placed him with the Dursley's. They'd always been on a crash course toward this; Ally Martin had just been the catalyst that brought it on early.

'Congratulations.'

The words were quiet, so quiet that despite his enhanced hearing and the silence of the room Harry was sure he had misheard. 'Excuse me?'

'Congratulations, Harry, you have a wonderful family.'

It didn't fix everything, it wasn't the quick fix he once would have believed it to be but it was a start. Dumbledore was making peace with it, offering the proverbial olive branch.

'Thank you, sir.'

And Harry took it.


	69. Chapter 63

**a/n: **um remember when i said there were two more chapters? well that didn't quite go as planned, everything i wanted to put in that second last chapter really needed to go in the next book. so thank you everyone for you reviews and kind words of encouragement and putting up with some grammatical errors and bad spelling and just a very huge thank you! This is for you...

**Chapter 63**

It had become a nightly ritual of theirs. Each night, just before Vernon came home they'd meet up in Dudley's room to talk about Harry. Most days there wasn't any news and for a moment they'd just sit in silence not wanting to acknowledge what it was they were doing. Some days they'd have news and it would be there, in the way she snatched at the letter or grabbed the tiny fake owl out of the air. That worry she couldn't quite hide.

There was a letter that night, the night before he was due to return home for the summer. Petunia knew what it said before she opened it, goodbyes carry a weight that can be felt long before they occur. She wasn't expecting the gold necklace with the small emerald and she wasn't expecting the chunky silver ring for Dudley.

Protection. That's what the letter said, despite everything that had happened he was offering them what help he could to protect them from what was to come. Dudley helped her clasp the necklace around her neck before he slid the ring onto his thumb. Both items were strangely warm and for a moment she thought they had glowed.

Later, when she was placing Vernon's dinner before him, he glanced up and noticed her pale face and the almost imperceptible shake of her hands. His eyes darted up to her face and studied her with a frown. Glancing at Dudley he saw his son was subdued and instead of wolfing down his dinner he was merely chasing it around his plate.

'What's going on?' he asked warily. 'What's gotten into the two of you?'

'It's nothing,' Petunia assured her husband. 'Just an odd day.'

She'd never tell him about the tie pin she'd buried in the back of Harry's closet, the one meant for him.

**

* * *

**

For what felt like the hundredth time that morning Hermione slapped Harry's knee to stop it from bouncing. He was as excited as a puppy with a new toy and frankly it was getting on her last nerve. After three days of it she was beyond feeling any sort of sympathy for him. Thank Merlin it would all be over in a few hours.

The horseless carriage eased to stop outside Hogsmeade station and Harry almost tumbled out the door, his eagerness overriding any sense of embarrassment he may have felt. Hermione followed him out with an exasperated eye roll and then turned to help Abby down because the broken ankle she'd received three days ago in a battle with yet another security troll still hadn't quite healed properly.

Hermione tried not to worry over the sudden appearance of so many trolls hired for security purposes and instead offered Abby her arm and helped the girl hobble over to the train. The other ADADA members arrived behind them and because of Harry's eagerness they managed to secure a compartment to themselves. Hermione did some tricky spell work to magically expand the seats rather than spend the next hours squished between three other people.

'Don't make me stun you,' Daphne warned sharply, when Harry's bouncing excitement started to get on her nerves.

The train hadn't even left Hogsmeade station yet and already his twitchy behaviour was annoying her. His agitated state had already caused her to shift painfully and she resorted to quickly removing her jacket to stop any more unpleasant and unplanned chafing he might cause by jostling her. The white bandage taped over the wound in her chest gleamed but the wound beneath was still sore and mostly unhealed. Molly's tears had only been able to do so much and only for so long.

Harry winced apologetically and finally stilled his leg. 'Sorry, I'm just excited.'

'We know,' the whole ADADA informed him in response. All with eye rolls or other signs of exasperation and annoyance.

'Well, sorry,' Harry grunted. 'I haven't seen my daughter in weeks and I haven't had sex in a month.'

'That's your own fault mate,' Ron pointed out helpfully. 'You were the one who decided to play along with Dumbledore.'

'And what do you mean you haven't had sex in a month?' Abby rolled her eyes, shifting her foot from the floor and on to the opposite bench and subsequently Harry's lap. This way, her weight stopped him from bouncing about too much and it relieved some of the pressure. 'I'm pretty sure I heard something I wasn't supposed to last week in the Hogsmeade tunnel.'

Harry grinned smugly at her but his grin faded when he remembered what they were talking about. 'That wasn't proper sex that was relieving the tension before either of us exploded.'

'An image not one of us wanted, thank you very much.' Hermione may have adjusted to the new versions of her friends, the more mature and dirty versions who frequently turned up bruised and battered from Death Eater rumbles, but that didn't mean she was entirely comfortable yet.

'I'm just saying,' Rom went on as though no one had interrupted, 'that you didn't have to humour Dumbledore by staying close to the castle this last month.'

'I was proving a point and trying to pass my OWLs,' Harry muttered unconvincingly. 'And I hardly grounded myself. I've been on twelve raids in the last month, more than any of you.'

'Half of those were happening at the same time and therefore don't count,' Emmy informed him helpfully.

Harry glared at her but she wasn't done.

'But I can't say you didn't benefit from the study time, half of what you learnt over the summer about ancient runes apparently fell right out of your head. How you were allowed to hand in any work at all is beyond me.'

'I can be incredibly persuasive.'

Hysterical laughter at his expense filled the compartment and the train finally started to move. Harry rolled his eyes but he couldn't help smiling just a little. There was nothing, _nothing_, that could ruin his good mood today.

Once the laughter died down things became a little more mundane. They whiled away the train journey playing cards, retelling some of their more daring exploits and showing Hermione some of the easier spells she'd need to know if she was going to start going out on raids with them.

Daphne was just demonstrating a spell that put Ron in a magical headlock when the sound of clapping drew the ADADAs attention to the door. Neville had left it open when he'd stopped by earlier and what with friends dropping in all the time to chat there hadn't been much point in closing it again. An apparently stupid idea because Malfoy was the one clapping.

Draco Malfoy was in some ways a shadow of his former self. He'd always been pale but now his skin was an almost ashen grey. His hair, while still slicked back, looked unkempt and as though he hadn't bothered too much with it. He looked worn and not in any way a fifteen year old boy should. The hulking figures of Crabbe and Goyle flanking him on exacerbated the image of a defeated and scrawny boy.

'Seriously?' Emmy questioned. 'Must we go over this again?'

She moved to stand directly in front of Malfoy, blocking his view of the rest of the compartment and drawing a startled step back from him. He may be a smug piece of Slytherin scum but he wasn't so stupid as to let Emmy get within his personal space.

'Honestly this is getting a bit tiresome,' Emmy went on, shaking her head and reaching for the compartment door. 'It's time to pick a side, Draco. You can't stand there at the door looking in anymore; you want in then take the step. You want to end up just like your parents? Voldemort needs all the recruits he can get. Make the choice, cause either way? I'm probably going to hit you.'

She slammed the door in his face, warded it against unfriendly people and went back to her seat. She picked up the hand of cards she'd dropped onto her seat and then frowned.

'Alright, who stole my ace?'

Harry's leg started bouncing when they were about twenty minutes out from King's Cross. No one bothered trying to stop it this time as they were likely to get shaken free for their trouble. They just pretended not to notice the eager way he was checking and rechecking his wrists, looking for signs of movement from the marks that represented his connection to Molly and Ally.

When the train finally came to a stop Harry was already standing at the door waiting for them to open. His eagerness had seen to it that all the other members of the ADADA were just as ready, mostly because they wanted to see what kind of spectacle Harry was just about to make. Honestly, he was looking a bit like the world's biggest lovesick fool.

The doors weren't even fully open before he was slipping out and striding across the platform. Some last shred of dignity was the only thing stopping him from running and it made it a lot easier for the ADADA to keep up. They slipped through the barrier just moments after he did and in plenty of time to witness the reunion between Harry and Ally.

Molly and Arthur Weasley were standing with Hermione's parents just to the side of where Ally stood with Ruby. The moment Harry stepped through the barrier he spotted her and his face split into a huge grin. Ally shoved baby Molly into Ruby's arm and ran, colliding with Harry in a tangle of limbs that should have sent him tumbling to the ground but somehow he managed to keep his balance.

'How come you never greet me like that?' Ron asked Daphne as he came to a stop beside his mother, successfully drowning out her dismayed grunt.

'Impact at the great a speed would be sure to damage my chest and ruin any pleasure I'd get out of having your tongue in my mouth with a hell of a lot of pain.'

Ginny laughed, greeting her dad with a nice bear hug. Her mother wasn't as receptive to any greeting as her gaze was locked on Harry and Ally who still hadn't come up for air. Taking pity on her mum, Ginny took her hand and pulled her over to the pair. She whacked each of them over the back of the head until they separated and then she smiled winningly.

'Mum, I'd like you to properly meet Alexandria Martin.' Ginny went on before her mum could do something to further ruin any future potential relationship with her not-quite daughter-in-law. 'She's the one you have to thank for keeping Harry alive and sane. If it weren't for her Harry would be a big bundle of verves and angst and great Merlin have you seen him brood? Makes you want to smack him one.'

Harry glared at her. 'Thank you, Ginny.'

'Just trying to help.'

'Don't,' he suggested before turning his gaze back to Mrs Weasley and smiling. 'Hello, Mrs Weasley, there's someone I'd like you to meet.'

Before she could open her mouth to say that she'd already met the harlot—twice!—Harry was turning away and moving back toward Ruby. Her mouth opened and close liked a fish as he scooped the baby out of Ruby's arms and brought her back.

'This is my daughter,' Harry said and Mrs Weasley felt her heart drop right down into her stomach as she gazed at the little baby properly for the first time ever. Brilliant green eyes just like her father's but she was the spitting image of her mother. 'Her name is Molly.'

'Oh.' The soft exhalation left her lips on a startled gasp and her eyes flew up to meet Harry's. 'Oh!' she said again, still not quite understanding what Harry had just said.

Harry grinned and eased baby Molly into her namesake's arms. 'Molly, this is your grandma.'

Two soaked t-shirts later, a river of sobs, some cooing and a not particularly friendly and definitely icy "welcome to the family" later, Harry and Ally left the train station with an invitation to dinner at the Burrow. Mrs Weasley may not have been overly receptive toward Ally but Molly had won her over in under three seconds. It wasn't going to be easy, what with Mrs Weasley still glaring at Ally but it was a start.

'I can't believe you used Molly like that,' Ally laughed. 'The look on Mrs Weasley's face when you handed her Molly, that was just plain sneaky.'

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

Ally grinned. 'Sure you don't.'

Harry wrapped his arms around her, pressing as tight as he could with Molly between them. 'Come on, let's go home.'

**

* * *

**

Voldemort was no stranger to pain. Pain had been one of the common traits in each of the spells and trials he had performed to get him where he was today. Each piece of his flesh that was broken and rebuilt, each new spell had been another cost.

He couldn't honestly say that no one had ever punched him in the face before and the pain he'd felt from that had been nothing to the strange feeling it had accompanied. For a moment, just a moment, Voldemort had known fear.

But there were spells and actions, plans and back-up plans. There were things in place that snapped him back, dragged the fear from him and squashed it beneath certainty. There was certainty in his life, certainty that death was but another trial he had concurred.

Voldemort had many secrets; he had done things no mortal man could comprehend. He had done things that would send others insane with just the knowledge of the act. And there was a spell, one he never dared think on for fear that one day, some wizard, whether light or dark, would come along and destroy him.

One word he never did think. Except for today.

**

* * *

**

Harry snapped upright in bed, dislodging the sheets and startling Ally awake. His breathing was heavy and sweat trickled down his brow and chest. His hands were fisted in the sheets and he was shaking more than he remembered ever shaking from a mere dream.

'Blood hell,' Ally groaned, dropping back onto the bed and clutching at her head. 'What the bloody hell were you dreaming? My head feels like it's been hit by a concusser hex.'

Harry rubbed at his own head, taking a moment to get his body back under his control before he spoke. 'What the hell is a horcrux?'

**To Be Continued in Tears of the Phoenix...**


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